Game 4: Gophers host NJIT 11-14-25

Donate To GopherHole
I

Ignatius L Hoops

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 9, 2015
Messages
10,909
Reaction score
3,741
Points
113
TAKE ME TO THE RIVER ROAD

From Newark’s Highlands come the Highlanders of the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). The team will be weekending on the Mississippi river bluffs with games against the Gophers on Friday evening and St. Thomas on Sunday. It’s a trip home for Highlanders Audrey Kormann a 6’2” junior forward from Maple Grove and Piper Engleby a 5’11” sophomore guard from Andover.

NJIT has traveled to Minneapolis twice before with the expected outcomes: a 71-47 loss in 2011 and an 83-50 loss in 2015. The current edition of the Highlanders is coached by Mike Lane and is projected to finish 5th in America East which is where they finished last sseaon when they were 11-19 (8-8 conf).

Mike Lane, a Notre Dame alum, is in his eighth season in Newark after a 5 year assistant coach stint at Bucknell and a five year head coaching run at DIII Dominican in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference.

Following a 2023-24 season in which NJIT finished 12-18 and 4-12 (7th in the 9 team America East). Lane decided to revamp the offense and finished last season 11-19 and 8-8 (5th) in conference. The Highlanders were the third ranked offense in conference play averaging 60.2 points per game (increased offense is a relative concept). For the record, NJIT was also the worst defensive team in the conference for the second straight season giving up 62.1 points per game.

The offense, such as it is, revolves around All America East Player Alejandra Zuniga a 5’6” senior guard from Madrid, Spain

During America East media day, Lane spoke about Zuniga’s development. He said while Zuniga can slalom through defenders, the coaching staff has worked with her on learning to play off two feet utilizing the jump stop, step through and slide step. He said most of her problems in passing and shooting occurred while playing off one foot. Last season the two footed Zuniga averaged 16 points and 3.4 assists in 30 minutes.

The Highlanders arrived in Minneapolis 3-0 after defeating @Sacred Heart 64-57, @Fordham 81-78 and Wagner 78-58. Zuniga led the scoring in the first game with 24 points. For the season she is averaging 12.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in 25.7 minutes. Unfortunately, Zuniga left the Wagner game with an injury in the second quarter and did not return.

6’1 sophomore guard and reigning America East Rookie of the Year, Olivia Kulyk, led the scoring versus Fordham with 25 points. Kulyk is averaging 17 7 points and 5.3 rebounds in 35.7 minutes. She is 13-24 from three.

5’7” junior guard Marissa Gingrich led the scoring against Wagner with 23. She is averaging 17.3 points and 6.3 rebounds in 33 minutes.

Obviously, NJIT needs Zuniga against Minnesota as well as against St. Thomas when the Highlanders visit Summit Avenue.
Click to expand...
 



FinnGopher said:
Who put the non-conference schedule together for the women's and men's program? These opponents are just awful and of no value in improving the team. Gophers would be better served playing a few MIAC teams.
Click to expand...
Well the men just played at Missouri. Nothing wrong with that. But here we are up 30 at halftime. Lol
 

If Holloway ever learns to slow down and be patient she could do some good things.

Glenn’s game is fun to watch.

Tonga’s minutes will need to improve when we get to the tougher schedule. We will need more out of her.
 








DietCokeFan said:
Wish this coaching staff could run some more action plays for Christian. Her shot is so smooth.
Click to expand...
totally agree! was thinking when she played all the 2nd half that we could see her get a 20 piece.. but hardly ran anything for her or got her the ball much.
 


DietCokeFan said:
If Holloway ever learns to slow down and be patient she could do some good things.

Glenn’s game is fun to watch.

Tonga’s minutes will need to improve when we get to the tougher schedule. We will need more out of her.
Click to expand...
Both Tonga and Holloway will need to improve. I thought their play was not very athletic and slow
 




FinnGopher said:
Who put the non-conference schedule together for the women's and men's program? These opponents are just awful and of no value in improving the team. Gophers would be better served playing a few MIAC teams.
Click to expand...
Marquette was picked to be #2 in the Big East behind only UConn.
 





DietCokeFan said:
Wish this coaching staff could run some more action plays for Christian. Her shot is so smooth.
Click to expand...
That will come I think. Christian has a smooth shot for a freshmen, clearly a highly touted kid out of Wisconsin that has high upside, ceiling once experience kicks in and is gained. You can see a little bit what the coaches scouted and picked up on and projected some for the future. They got one of the best players out of Wisconsin last year, kids very talented shooter. Wisconsin has been good to the U since coach P came on board. Gophers have a good head coach and quality staff. I'm impressed by this staff/group they understand basketball at a high level, and are good at math, advanced scout.
 
Last edited:


fanfromthevalley said:
Tucked away in the men's hockey story....which also has volleyball write up. I for one am not at all happy with the Strib's sports coverage!
Click to expand...
You could do what I just did: cancel your subscription. The printed version has been declining for years. Their recent decision to have it printed in Iowa was the final nail in the coffin, as it eliminates all breaking news stories. As far as the online version is concerned, they've loaded it up with so many annoying videos, it's a pain to read. So long Trib!
 


gopherdudepart2 said:
That will come I think. Christian has a smooth shot for a freshmen, clearly a highly touted kid out of Wisconsin that has high upside, ceiling once experience kicks in and is gained. You can see a little bit what the coaches scouted and picked up on and projected some for the future. They got one of the best players out of Wisconsin last year, kids very talented shooter. Wisconsin has been good to the U since coach P came on board. Gophers have a good head coach and quality staff. I'm impressed by this staff/group they understand basketball at a high level, and are good at math, advanced scout.
Click to expand...
Hope so. Time will tell if we can score against good teams, especially on the road.

Coach P is a defensive minded coach. Offense and designing plays is not her strong suit IMO.
 

Coach p is doing a good job recruiting. I was high on this year's team, but something seems to be off. It could be the competition, it could be they won't rebound as well without heyer, or it could be Mara still working her way back. Mara is the the only current player that can get this team to higher level.
The perimeter might be a little crowded this year..
 

DietCokeFan said:
Hope so. Time will tell if we can score against good teams, especially on the road.

Coach P is a defensive minded coach. Offense and designing plays is not her strong suit IMO.
Click to expand...
Last year's team was certainly able to when they took Ohio State to overtime and lost by only 3 points on the road, or when they were at Maryland and nearly stole the road win there too. Now they've added some key pieces with Brylee Glenn and Makena Christian, who are major improvements offensively (and defensively) off the bench. Not to mention that Mara is back and will hopefully be able to stay healthy this season.

MNGirlsHoops said:
Mara is the the only current player that can get this team to higher level.
Click to expand...
Hard disagree. The four guards we start are all pretty talented, and I think in retrospect after both are done with their college careers, Tori McKinney will have been equally important to if not more important for the team's success than Mara. Coach P has built an entire team this year, not just a cast of characters that play around one key player.
 

MaroonMagic said:
Last year's team was certainly able to when they took Ohio State to overtime and lost by only 3 points on the road, or when they were at Maryland and nearly stole the road win there too. Now they've added some key pieces with Brylee Glenn and Makena Christian, who are major improvements offensively (and defensively) off the bench. Not to mention that Mara is back and will hopefully be able to stay healthy this season.
Click to expand...
I hope I am wrong.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom