VESTAL, N.Y. – After having its previous three games postponed due to COVID protocols within its program, the Binghamton women's basketball team returned to the court with a valiant effort against first-place NJIT in its America East opener on Saturday afternoon at Dr. Bai Lee Court at the Events Center. Dressing just nine players, the Bearcats (4-7, 0-1 AE) put up a valiant effort before losing 66-64 to the Highlanders (8-6, 3-0 AE).

Lyzi Litwinko and Erin Stoll each netted a game-high 19 points for NJIT while Kenna Squier added 14 points. Litwinko also recorded a double-double as she grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds. Unlike the Bearcats, the Highlanders had 13 players check into the game.

Senior guard Hayley Moore led Binghamton with 13 points, marking the third straight game she has reached double figures in scoring. Freshman forward Genevieve Coleman netted a career-high 12 points to go along with six rebounds and a pair of assists.

Also reaching double figures in scoring were junior forward Birna Benonysdottir, who netted 11 points, and junior guard Denai Bowman, who chipped in 10 points. Bowman also registered a game-high five assists.

Junior forward Clare Traeger, meanwhile, narrowly missed her third double-double of the season, finishing with nine points and 12 rebounds. She entered the game ranked second in the America East with 8.2 rebounds per game.

In a back-and-forth game that featured 10 ties and five lead changes, NJIT finally broke the game open with an 8-0 run to go up 54-44 with 4:35 left in regulation. Despite having both Bowman and Benonysdottir in foul trouble, however, the Bearcats clawed back to within 64-61 with nine seconds left to go.

Squier gave the Highlanders two big free throws with three seconds left to go, padding the lead to 66-61. That was enough to offset Coleman's three-point field goal at the buzzer.

"I am very proud of our team and how we played today after missing so much time," head coach Bethann Shapiro Ord said. "We came out with only eight players but we battled until the end. We had several players who have only practiced the past two days so I can't wait to see how we do once we get our legs under us."

NJIT shot 47 percent for the game (27-57) while the Bearcats shot 35 percent (24-68). Beyond the three-point arc, however, Binghamton was 9-for-19 for the game (47 percent).

In the paint, the Highlanders held a commanding 42-18 advantage in points scored.

Binghamton is scheduled to travel to Hartford on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. game.

NOTES: Binghamton's most recent game was on Dec. 21 against Ohio in the final round of the FIU Holiday Hoops Classic.