NEWARK, N.J. (Interstat) — Cate MacDonald’s go-ahead layup with 24 seconds remaining capped a frantic final minute and lifted Dartmouth to a 61-60 victory over NJIT in a nonconference women’s basketball game on Thursday night at Fleisher Athletic Center.

The Big Green, which trailed by as many as nine points in the first half and for nearly the entire first three quarters, completed its comeback by scoring the final five points of the game in the last 28 seconds. The win improved Dartmouth to 6-2, while the Highlanders fell to 8-4.

The decisive sequence began with Dartmouth trailing 60-58. After a timeout, the Big Green inbounded the ball to point guard Zeynep Ozel, who found MacDonald cutting to the basket for a layup to tie the game. On the ensuing possession, NJIT’s Olivia Kulyk missed a pull-up jumper, and Dartmouth’s Olivia Austin secured the defensive rebound with 11 seconds left.

Dartmouth immediately called timeout to advance the ball. Out of the break, Ozel again orchestrated the offense, feeding Sierra Carson for a corner 3-pointer that gave the Big Green a 61-60 lead with 8 seconds remaining. NJIT had one final chance, but Alejandra Zuniga’s driving layup attempt was off the mark as time expired.

The game was a defensive struggle for long stretches, with both teams enduring scoring droughts. NJIT built an early 13-7 lead after the first quarter and maintained a 26-24 advantage at halftime, largely on the strength of its perimeter defense and interior shot-blocking. The Highlanders blocked 10 shots in the game.

Dartmouth’s offense, stagnant for much of the first half, found a rhythm in the third quarter behind MacDonald. The junior forward from Lynnfield, Massachusetts, scored 10 of her team-high 16 points after halftime. Her consistent production inside kept the Big Green within striking distance as NJIT’s lead fluctuated between two and six points throughout the second half.

NJIT appeared to seize control midway through the fourth quarter. A layup by Zuniga, who led the Highlanders with 15 points and five assists, gave the home team a 54-48 lead with 5:21 to play. Dartmouth responded with a 7-0 run, punctuated by a MacDonald 3-pointer, to take its first lead since the opening minutes at 55-54 with 3:21 left.

The teams traded baskets over the next two minutes, with Zuniga’s layup putting NJIT back ahead 60-58 with 1:50 to play. Both sides then went scoreless on their next two possessions, setting the stage for the dramatic final half-minute.

MacDonald finished with 16 points on 7-of-14 shooting, adding two assists and two blocks in 31 minutes. Sierra Carson provided crucial support with 12 points, including the game-winning three, while Zeynep Ozel directed the offense with seven assists and eight points.

For NJIT, Olivia Kulyk joined Zuniga with 15 points, and Marissa Gingrich added 12. The Highlanders’ offense, however, was hampered by 18 turnovers, which Dartmouth converted into 15 points.

The game was played in front of an announced crowd of 201. Dartmouth, which entered as a significant underdog according to predictive metrics, won its third straight game. The Big Green travel to face Iona on Saturday. NJIT, which had its three-game winning streak snapped, does not play again until a Dec. 29 road game at Delaware State.

The most important part of the game was the final 28 seconds, where Dartmouth executed two critical set plays out of timeouts to first tie and then take the lead, overcoming a late deficit in a hostile environment to secure a narrow road victory.