Box Score
NEWARK, NJ -- With the second snow storm to hit the Northeast in the month, NJIT's Jessica Gerald and Katie Piekielski combined for 21 points leading the Highlanders, 55-53, over University of South Dakota Thursday evening at the Prudential Center in women's basketball Great West Conference action.
Thursday's victory for the Highlanders is the most wins for the women's basketball program since playing a Division I schedule, which began in 2006-07. NJIT had 10 wins in 2007-08 under head coach Margaret McKeon.
Gerald, reining Great West Conference Player of the Week, scored nine of her 11 points in the second half while Piekelski finished with 10, shooting 5-for-8 from the field. Senior Taiwo Oyelola added eight points and eight rebounds. Three Highlanders had seven points -- Ivana Seric, Kehinde Oyelola and Melanie Griffin.
In the closing minute, South Dakota scored eight quick points pulling within one-point of the Highlanders with 32 seconds remaining in regulation, 54-53, on a three-pointer by Kinder. Gerald, a 74 percent free throw shooter on the season, hit one of two from the free throw line with 29 seconds.
South Dakota was paced by Abbey Kinder's game-high 14 points – five points in the final minute. Sophomore guard Annie Roche added 11 points while Coyotes leading scorer on the season Amber Hegge had nine. Kinder the 5-foot-10 guard pulled down a team-high six rebounds edging the Highlanders 35-34 on the glass.
NJIT opened up the contest 15-7 on a pair of free throws by Gerald at 9:34. South Dakota's last basket was at 13:40 until Kinder sank a three-pointer, cutting the Highlander lead down to five, 15-10, at the 9:15 mark.
Neither team scored over the next two minutes until Kehinde Oyelola hit one of two from the free throw line for a 18-12 lead, with 6:52 to go. South Dakota knocked down three three-point baskets taking its second lead of the game, 23-21, at 3:37. Sophomore Annie Roche sank two three-pointers in the Coyotes 9-2 run.
Leading scorers at halftime were Kinder for South Dakota with nine points and Piekielski with six in 14 minutes. NJIT connected on 9-of-14 from the charity strip in the first half.
Trailing 23-21 at halftime, the Highlanders scored the first basket of the second half on a fast break jumper by Griffin, at 17:13, and Taiwo Oyelola would score on the next possession down the floor hitting a jumper in the paint, 25-23.
South Dakota got on the board at 16:42 on a Kara Iverson three-pointer but NJIT regained the lead on a steal and fast break layup by Jessica Gerald, 29-28, at 15:11.
The Coyotes scored four straight points, 32-29, on a layup by Amber Hegge.
Taiwo Oyelola knotted the game at 37 sinking a three-pointer from the top of the key and South Dakota's Jasmine Mosley scored on a old-fashion three-point play, with 6:32 remaining in the game. A basket by Seric and two free throws made by Kehinde Oyelola, NJIT went up one, 41-40.
The Highlanders went on a 10-1 run sparked by Piekielski's jumper from the free throw line at 4:08, in favor of the home team, 53-45. Gerald scored seven points in the run for NJIT.
NJIT outscored the visitors in bench points 15-7 and points off turnovers 19-9.
Saturday will be the teams' final home game of the season at 2pm when they host University of North Dakota. This will mark the final home games for senior's Kathryn Wighton, Katie Piekielski, Taiwo and Kehinde Oyelola. Senior day ceremonies will begin at 1:30pm.
