Feb. 22, 2006

Box Score

HACKENSACK, NJ - The Fairleigh Dickinson University women's basketball team downed visiting Monmouth University, 61-57, on Feb. 22 at the Rothman Center, holding their seventh-place position amidst the final week of NEC competition. Senior guard Krissy Suckow (East Brunswick, NJ) paced the Knights with 21 points on a season-high 19 field goal attempts.

Monmouth (13-12, 10-6 NEC) took a brief advantage, 3-0, before junior point guard Gayle Coats (Richmond, VA) nailed a trey to spark a 9-0 FDU run. At the 14:23 mark, Suckow nailed a three-pointer of her own, as the Knights (8-17, 5-12 NEC) moved out to a 14-8 lead.

Fairleigh Dickinson held the Hawk offense scoreless for a span of 6:19, highlighted by sophomore forward Tiffany Seymour (/Amittyville)'s (Amityville, NY) emphatic rejection in the post, marking the first of her career.

Guard Veronica Randolph (Deerfield Beach, FL) cut the FDU lead to three, 21-18, with 4:00 remaining, notching two of her team-high 11 points. Freshman forward Lauren Coombs (Trumbull, CT) responded 10 seconds later with her only basket of the evening, a one-handed teardrop lay-in from the right baseline, making a 23-18 game.

The Knights took a 30-27 lead into the break, pressuring Monmouth into 11 turnovers in the initial 20 minutes, while the Hawks countered with a 28-21 rebounding advantage.

Monmouth opened the second-half on a 4-0 spurt, to take its first lead since 17:58 in the first-half, at 31-30.

Sophomore forward Jennifer Walkling (Westminster, MD) worked the paint, converting two baskets on FDU's next two possessions, as the Knights regained the lead. Sophomore point guard Megan Kirkland (Glen Allen, VA) continued the momentum, spotting up from behind the arc, as FDU pushed ahead, 39-32.

The Knights would open a 13-point gap, as Kirkland connected on a pull-up jumper in transition, then banged another three-ball on Fairleigh Dickinson's ensuing possession, shifting Head Coach Sandy Gordon's squad to a 47-34 lead. Kirkland finished with eight points and five assists.

Monmouth chipped away with a 9-0 run, creating a one-point deficit at 52-51, fueled by three hoops inside, as well as jumper by Randolph from downtown. Sophomore guard Shanay Freeman (Laurelton, NY) stopped the Hawks' surge, taking her defender for the hole to a deuce. Walkling followed suit tallying two of her 13 points, with drop-step lay-in, as the Knights pushed the game to 56-51.

Hawks guard Marisa Jiminez (Carteret, NJ), who also posted a team-best 11 points, rattled home two driving lay-ups bringing the score to 56-55. Suckow stepped up with 1:33 remaining, popping a shot from downtown.

The conference's ninth-best shooter from the charity strip, freshman forward Katie Warehime (Littlestown, PA), drained two free throws with 21 seconds remaining to ice the 61-57 victory.

"The win alleviates some pressure heading into the final NEC game of the season against Wagner," Coach Gordon said. "We played tight with the lead and hit our free throws down the stretch. We put together a big performance on defense tonight which resulted in a huge team win."

The Knights host The University of Northern Colorado in a non-conference match-up at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 24 in the Rothman Center.