NJIT Holds On to Defeat Huskies, 83-70

Raquel Jones scores 20 points in losing effort

Raquel Jones (Photo by Anthony Vasser)

HOUSTON – The Husky women’s basketball team made another valiant effort from a large deficit, but could not complete the comeback en route to an 83-70 loss to NJIT Saturday night at Sharp Gym.

A Brittany Barton three tied the contest at 16 all, but the Highlanders went on a 20-0 run to take a 36-16 lead with about four minutes remaining in the opening half. NJIT led HBU 38-23 at the break.

Destini Texada and Mele Leasau each scored a team-high seven points at intermission, while Brittany Barton had five. On the boards, Texada and Ernesta Griciunaite paved the way with four boards apiece. NJIT’s leading scorer entering the game, Jessica Gerald, led the Highlanders with nine points, while Kehinde Oyelola was second with eight. Ivana Seric was the game’s top rebounder with seven.

The second half saw a furious comeback by the Huskies, as Raquel Jones hit all five of her three-pointers in the second half, including four in the first four minutes of the second half. HBU cut the deficit to eight at 74-66 with 1:25 left in regulation, but could get no closer.

Jones scored a team-high 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including 50 percent from beyond the arc (5-of-10). Other Huskies in double figures were Taniqua Hollis (14) and Texada (12). While Texada came just one point shy of a double-double in Thursday’s game against Chicago State, she was one rebound shy of the mark against NJIT tonight. Hollis finished with a game-high seven assists. Gerald finished the game with 30 points, while Seric finished with a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds. K. Oyelola was the other Highlander to finish in double-digit points.

HBU (2-15, 0-2 GWC) will take 12 days off before hosting South Dakota on Thursday, January 28, and North Dakota on Saturday, January 30. Both games are set for 5:35 pm starts.