NEWARK, N.J. —  Senior guard Jada Lucas led the Hawks with a game-high 17 points, as the Hartford women's basketball team fell to NJIT, 62-42, inside the NJIT Wellness and Events Center on Monday afternoon. 

With the loss the Hawks fell to 3-7 on the season and in the America East, while the Highlanders improved to 4-10 on the season and 4-6 in conference-play.

NJIT 62, HARTFORD 42
Both teams struggled to shoot it early, playing to a 6-6 tie late in the first period, however, Nina Farkic nailed a three-pointer at the buzzer to give Hartford a slim three-point advantage entering the second quarter.

The Highlanders used the opening four minutes of the period to outscore the Hawks 10-5 to take a 16-14 lead. Hartford responded with a 9-3 run, led by two three-pointers from Farkic to take a 23-19 lead with 2:27 to go before the break. The Highlanders used the final 1:30 of the half to cut the Hawks' lead to one, trailing Hartford 25-24 into the break.

NJIT used the first seven minutes of the second half to go on a 14-5 run, taking a 38-30 lead with three minutes remaining in the third quarter. The Highlanders held the Hawks to 15.4 percent (2-of-13) shooting from the field in the quarter, carrying a 42-32 lead into the fourth.

The Hawks cut the deficit to single digits with a Breyenne Bellerand layup with 8:55 remaining in regulation. However, NJIT responded with a 20-8 run to push its lead to 20, its largest of the game. The lead proved to be too much for Hartford, as it eventually fell 62-42.

INSIDE THE BOX AND NOTES

• Lucas led the Hawks with a game-high 17 points
• Lucas scored 12 of her 17 points in the first half
• The senior added eight rebounds in the loss as well
• Nina Farkic contributed 12 points and 10 rebounds for the double-double
• The double-double was the first of Farkic's career
• The 10 rebounds tied her career-high 
• NJIT outshot Hartford 36.0 percent to 27.8 percent
• NJIT had three players reach double-figure scoring, led by Ellyn Stoll's 13 points

NEXT ON TAP
The Hawks will be back in action on Saturday, Jan. 23, when they open the weekend series against Vermont on the road inside Patrick Gymnasium. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. on ESPN3.

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