NEWARK, N.J. (Interstat) — NJIT used a decisive third quarter to defeat Massachusetts-Lowell 68-57 in a women’s basketball game Thursday afternoon at Fleisher Athletic Center. The game was tied 31-31 at halftime, but the Highlanders outscored the River Hawks 19-7 in the third period to take control. Olivia Kulyk led all scorers with 22 points for NJIT. Ava Locklear added 16 points and 13 rebounds. Sabrina Larsson scored 12 points for UMass Lowell. NJIT improved to 12-6 overall, while Massachusetts-Lowell fell to 6-12. An announced crowd of 2,326 attended the America East Conference contest.

NEWARK, N.J. (Interstat) — A dominant third-quarter surge and a commanding double-double from Ava Locklear propelled the NJIT Highlanders to a 68-57 victory over the Massachusetts-Lowell River Hawks in an America East Conference women’s basketball game Thursday afternoon at Fleisher Athletic Center. A crowd of 2,326 watched the Highlanders improve to 12-6 overall, while the River Hawks fell to 6-12. The game’s pivotal sequence arrived in the third quarter. After a tightly contested first half that saw the teams tied at 18 after the first quarter and NJIT clinging to a 31-28 lead at halftime, the Highlanders seized control with a decisive 19-7 run in the third period. The River Hawks’ offense stalled completely, managing just two field goals in the quarter’s first eight minutes. Olivia Kulyk, who finished with a game-high 22 points, ignited the run with a turnaround jumper. Locklear then took over, scoring six points during the stretch, including a layup off a steal that forced a Massachusetts-Lowell timeout with the Highlanders leading 36-30. The defensive pressure intensified, with NJIT forcing seven River Hawk turnovers in the quarter and converting them into easy transition opportunities. By the time Allison Cannon scored on a layup in the final minute, the Highlanders had built a 50-35 lead, effectively putting the game out of reach. Locklear, a 5-foot-11 junior from Tiffin, Iowa, was the engine for NJIT, recording 16 points and 13 rebounds. Her activity on both ends anchored the Highlanders, particularly during the game-breaking run. She added a block and three steals, consistently disrupting the River Hawks’ offensive flow. This performance marked a strong bounce-back after being held to six points in NJIT’s previous game at Maine. Kulyk, a 6-1 senior from Edinboro, Pennsylvania, provided efficient scoring on 10-of-19 shooting and grabbed six rebounds. Cannon, a guard from Holmdel, New Jersey, filled the stat sheet with 13 points, six assists and five rebounds. Point guard Alejandra Zuniga of Madrid, Spain, directed the offense with 10 assists and nine points. The Highlanders dominated inside, outscoring the River Hawks 30-18 in the paint and outrebounding them 45-38. NJIT also capitalized on Massachusetts-Lowell’s mistakes, scoring 18 points off 19 River Hawk turnovers. For Massachusetts-Lowell, the loss extended a difficult stretch in conference play. Sabrina Larsson, a guard from Uppsala, Sweden, led the River Hawks with 12 points in a game-high 40 minutes. Jaini Edmonds of Worcester, Massachusetts, added 11 points, but her early scoring punch faded after a first-quarter flurry that saw her hit two quick three-pointers. Maddie Rice of Charlottesville, Virginia, battled inside for eight points and 11 rebounds. The River Hawks struggled to find consistent offense outside of the first and fourth quarters, shooting just 32 percent from the floor for the game. Their seven-point third quarter proved insurmountable, as every attempt to cut into the deficit in the final period was answered by the Highlanders, primarily through Locklear and Kulyk in the post or Zuniga’s playmaking. NJIT, which entered the game with a 94.3 percent probability to win according to National Statistical’s ELO system, will look to continue its momentum on the road at Bryant on Saturday. Massachusetts-Lowell will try to regroup before its next conference game at Vermont on Jan. 22. The two teams are scheduled for a rematch in Lowell on Feb. 5.

Preview: NJIT Hosts UMass Lowell in America East Women’s Basketball Clash NEWARK, N.J. (Interstat) — The NJIT Highlanders look to rebound from a weekend loss when they host the struggling UMass Lowell River Hawks in an America East Conference women’s basketball game Thursday afternoon at Fleisher Athletic Center. The Highlanders (11-6, 2-2 America East) enter with a winning record but are coming off an 86-67 defeat at Maine on Saturday. They will rely on guard Alejandra Zuniga, who has been a consistent offensive force. Zuniga is averaging 22.3 points over her last three games, including a 39-point outburst in a win at UMBC on Jan. 1. UMass Lowell (6-11, 0-4) seeks its first conference victory amid a five-game losing streak. The River Hawks are coming off a difficult 80-52 home loss to Binghamton, where they shot just 30.2% from the field. Guard Sabrina Larsson, who scored a team-high 18 points in that loss, is a key player for the River Hawks. She has reached double figures in scoring in two of her last four contests. The matchup pits one of the conference’s top offenses against its most struggling unit. NJIT ranks near the top of the America East in scoring, while UMass Lowell has been held under 65 points in four of its five recent losses, including a season-low 38 points in a loss to Bryant on Jan. 8. This is the first of two scheduled meetings between the teams this season. They will meet again in Lowell, Massachusetts, on Feb. 5. NJIT holds a distinct advantage in recent performance, having won three of its last five games. UMass Lowell’s last victory was a non-conference rout of St. Joseph’s on Dec. 29. Following Thursday’s game, NJIT will travel to face Bryant on Saturday. UMass Lowell continues its road trip at Vermont on Jan. 22. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST.