DeChent Matches Career High of 34 Points in 69-62 Loss to NJIT

Thursday, January 8

Durham, N.H.

6 PM

University of New Hampshire

6-10,0-3America East

NJIT

11-5,2-1America East

NJIT

New Hampshire

Photo by: Ryan Moran

DeChent Matches Career High of 34 Points in 69-62 Loss to NJIT

1/8/2026 9:41:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

DURHAM, N.H. – Junior guard Eva DeChent (Westchester, N.Y.) matched her career high of 34 points but the University of New Hampshire women's basketball team was edged 69-62 by NJIT at Lundholm Gym on Thursday night.

DeChent also pulled down a career-high 11 rebounds to record her first career double-double. She was also credited with five steals, one block and an assist.

Junior guard Maggie Cavanaugh (Point Pleasant Beach, N.J.) finished with 11 points, and sophomore guard Elizabeth Lavoie (Hampstead, N.H.) had eight rebounds and five points.

NJIT was led by Alejandra Zuniga (19 points), Olivia Kulyk (14) and Allison Cannon (13), while Ava Locklear had a double-double of 11 points and 14 rebounds.

UNH lost at home for the first time this season to move to 6-10 overall, 0-3 in the conference and 5-1 at home. NJIT, which outscored the Wildcats 22-12 in the fourth quarter, is 11-5, 2-1.

UP NEXT

UNH continues its three-game homestand Jan. 10 (1pm) against UMBC.
CLICK HERE to buy tickets online for any UNH home game or call (603) 862-4000.

FIRST QUARTER

NJIT inched out to a 7-2 lead on Cannon's 3-pointer at 6:19.
Cavanaugh hit a pull-up jumper at the foul line at 5:55, followed by one free throw by Camryn Fauria (North Attleborough, Mass.) at 5:22, and a steal and layup by DeChent to tie the score, 7-7, at 4:39.
Cavanaugh's 3-pointer from the top of the key lifted the Wildcats within 13-12 with 48 seconds on the clock.
Both teams added a free throw to advance the score to 14-13 at the end of the first quarter.

SECOND QUARTER

Cavanaugh made a 3-pointer from the left corner on the first possession of the second quarter to give the 'Cats their first lead of the game, 16-14.
A steal by DeChent led to her layup at the other end of the court to extend the advantage to 18-14 at 8:02.
NJIT went back in front, 19-18, on Zuniga's 3-pointer at 7:01.
Lucia Melero Sabat (Barcelona, Spain) responded with a layup on UNH's next possession, but the lead was short-lived as the visitors answered with a jumper in the paint for a 21-20 lead at 6:13.
Cavanaugh scored three consecutive points to put New Hampshire on top, 23-21, at 5:37.
Consecutive layups by DeChent and Carolina Williams (Valatie, N.Y.) gave the 'Cats a 27-23 advantage at 4:38.
DeChent made layups at 1:25 and 1:09 to give UNH its largest lead of the first half, 34-29.
The 'Cats took a 34-31 lead into halftime.

THIRD QUARTER

A driving layup by DeChent reestablished a five-point lead, 38-33, at 8:59.
NJIT went on an 8-0 run to surge back in front, 41-38, at 5:26.
Fauria' 3-pointer stopped the run and leveled the score, 41-41, at 4:41.
UNH regained the lead, 47-45, when Williams found DeChent ahead of the defense for a transition layup at 2:05.
Lavoie's 3-pointer from the left corner at the buzzer gave the 'Cats a 50-47 lead through 30 minutes.

FOURTH QUARTER

With UNH leading 53-52, DeChent scored all seven points in a 7-2 run that gave the Wildcats their largest lead of the game, 60-54, at 6:23.
NJIT scored nine consecutive points to go back in front, 63-60, with 1:51 on the clock.
Lavoie's jumper lifted New Hampshire within on points, 63-62, at 1:28 but the home team did not score again the rest of the way.
The Highlanders made 6 of 8 free throws to extend the lead in the final 75 seconds.

UNH NOTEBOOK

DeChent has scored a personal best of 34 points three times in her career. She made a career-high 13 field goals on 25 attempts.
DeChent has scored 30+ points three times this season and five career.
DeChent's 11 rebounds are the most by a Wildcat this season.
This was DeChent's third game of the season and fourth career with 5+ steals.

 
GAME NOTEBOOK

There were seven lead changes and three ties in the first half as the largest lead by both teams was five points.
There were a total of 10 lead changes and eight ties in the game. UNH's largest lead was six points and NJIT's was the seven-point margin in the closing seconds.