Feb. 6, 2006

- Complete Wagner Game Notes in PDF Format

REVENGE FACTOR: The Fairleigh Dickinson University women's basketball team travels to Northeast Conference opponent Wagner College on Tuesday, Feb. 7. The 7:00 p.m. tip-off marks the first of two meetings. Last season the Seahawks' only two victories came over the Knights.

SCOUTING WAGNER: The Seahawks host Fairleigh Dickinson, amidst an eight-game losing streak. Wagner's lone victory of the season was a 63-55 road win at St. Francis (NY) on Jan. 4.

The Seahawks' backcourt averages double-digit point totals. Sophomore guard Chelsey Bunyer and senior guard Joy Gallagher average 13.7 ppg and 13.3 ppg, respectively.

Bunyer has knocked down 109 field goals, resulting in a shooting percentage of 41.0 percent. Gallagher has drained 35 three-points, in addition to posting a team-high 34.9 mpg. The duo is consistent from the free throw line, both averaging over 75.0 percent.

Sophomore center Ali Ridge leads the team in rebounding notching 5.8 rips per game.

Ten players average double-figures in floortime, with all ten registering at least one hoop per contest for Head Coach Gela Mikalauskas.

NEXT UP: The Knights host Mount St. Mary's University in a rematch of a 67-64 road loss earlier this season on Dec. 10. The game tips off at 4:30 p.m., with the men's squad facing the Mount at 7:30 p.m.

LAST CONTEST: The Knights lost to visiting Long Island University, 66-60, at the Rothman Center on Saturday, Feb. 4.

Fairleigh Dickinson (5-14, 2-9 NEC) began the game on a 10-2 surge in the opening 4:29, on the strength of three-pointers by junior point guard Gayle Coats (Richmond, VA) and senior guard Krissy Suckow (East Brunswick, NJ).

Freshman forward Katie Warehime (Littlestown, PA) dropped in two-straight baskets in the paint to shift FDU ahead by double-digits at 21-11 with 8:39 remaining in the half. Warehime came off the bench to contribute a team-high 16 points.

Sophomore forward Jennifer Walkling (Westminster, MD) proved a powerful force down low early on, giving FDU a 23-11 advantage on the Knights ensuing possession, en route to notching six points and three rebounds in the initial 20 minutes.

Long Island (8-11, 6-4 NEC) responded with a 15-2 run during a 3:44 span, jumping ahead, 26-25. Guard Brittani Kozik (Belle Plain, IA) jumpstarted the offense with two shots from behind the arc, as the junior scored a team-high 15 points.

The Blackbirds held a 32-27 lead at halftime after connecting on 5-of-13 three-point attempts, in addition to knocking down 11-of-13 opportunities from the charity stripe. Meanwhile, FDU was 3-for-9 from the line.

Sophomore point guard Megan Kirkland (Glen Allen, VA) buried a three-pointer from the left wing with 13:52 remaining in the second-half to bring the Knights within six, trailing 44-38. Two possessions later, the 5-foot-6 sparkplug drained another three-ball. Kirkland popped four shots from behind the arc in six attempts, notching 13 points and a career-high seven steals in the contest.

Suckow - who tallied 13 points, a career-high seven assists and six rebounds - fed Warehime in the post for a drop-step hoop at the 5:21 mark, as Fairleigh Dickinson drew within three at 54-51.

The Blackbirds outscored FDU 12-9 down the final stretch, knocking down 5-of-6 free throws to seal the win.

BACKCOURT BALLIN': Four Knights set new career-highs in a 66-60 loss versus Long Island University on Feb. 4.

Sophomore point guard Megan Kirkland pilfered seven steals, representing a Knight season-high. She also drained four three-pointers to match another Knight season-high.

Senior guard Krissy Suckow dished out seven assists for the first time in her four-year career.

Junior point guard Gayle Coats matched her previous career-high of seven points, marking her highest offensive production this season. Sophomore guard Shanay Freeman notched the first two blocks of her career.

THREE-BALL BRIGADE: The Knights caught fire from long-range versus Monmouth University on Feb. 2. FDU shot 50.0 percent from behind the arc on 16 attempts.

Four players drained three-balls, with senior guard Krissy Suckow tallying four, followed by sophomore point guard Megan Kirkland (Glen Allen, VA/Hermitage)'s two. Freshmen forwards Katie Warehime and Lauren Coombs also popped a triple.

LAUNCH PARTY: Senior guard Krissy Suckow took over FDU's contest versus St. Francis (PA) on Jan. 30, tossing up 17 field goal attempts in 37 minutes.

Suckow dropped in a season-best three shots from behind the arc in eight attempts, but made a bigger impact from the charity stripe.

The 5-foot-8 guard knocked down a career-high 14-of-18 shots from the line, en route to a career-high and Knight season-high 27 points. Her 14 free throws in one game are second all-time, behind Jennifer Kozlowski's (`04) 16 on Jan. 28, 2004 at Monmouth.

Suckow also dished out five asissts, in addition to swiping two steals.

Three nights later at Monmouth University, Suckow set a new career-high with 28 points, including four three-pointers on five attempts. The senior connected on 9-of-13 attempts from the floor, in addition to notching four assists.

DOING IT ALL: Junior forward Mercedez Walker dropped in a career-high 13 points at St. Francis (PA) on Jan. 30, shooting a steller 66.6 percent from the floor on nine attempts.

Walker canned her second three-ball of the season, while ripping down three rebounds on the offensive glass. The junior also tallied three blocks.

The 6-foot-3 forward stands tied for eighth-place on the Knights' career block list with 65. Walker also stands in third-place on the all-time single-season block list with 51.

LUCKY 7'S: Sophomore forward Jennifer Walkling ripped down seven offensive boards at Robert Morris University on Jan. 28, marking the second-straight game where the six-foot power forward grabbed seven rebounds on the offensive glass.

Walkling notched two-straight double-doubles, with 10 rebounds at RMU as well as Sacred Heart on Jan. 25. Versus the Colonials, the sophomore scored 16 points, and dropped in 15 against the Pioneers.

PROTOTYPICAL KNIGHT: Sophomore forward Jennifer Walkling broke out on Jan. 25 in FDU's 76-55 loss to conference-leader Sacred Heart University. The power forward recorded five then-season-highs versus the Pioneers, including: points, rebounds, field goals made, field goals attempted and minutes.

In 30 minutes of action, Walkling posted 15 points and 10 boards, marking the Knights' then-second double-double of the season, and first of 2006. The six-foot sophomore converted 6-of-11 field goals, grabbing a Knight season-high of seven offensive rebounds.

PROTECTING THE HOOP: Junior forward Mercedez Walker matched her career-high of six blocks versus St. Francis (NY) on Jan. 20. Walker paces the NEC with a rate of 2.8 blocks a game.

The 6-foot-3 defensive stud poses a threat to set the FDU single-season record for blocks, as she is on pace for 75 blocks this season. The current record is held by Janice Reaves' (`83) 69 swats in the 1980-81 season.

The junior entered the season with 14 rejections in 25 games.

TICKLING THE TWINE: Senior guard Krissy Suckow poured in a then-season-high 17 points in the Knights' first conference victory over St. Francis (NY) on Jan. 20. In a then-season-best 38 minutes, Suckow also converted 7-of-9 shots from the charity stripe, marking two other then-season-highs.

FRESHMEN FIREPOWER: The duo of freshmen forwards Heather Coombs and Katie Warehime carried the FDU offense versus Quinnipiac on Jan. 16.

Coombs knocked down a career-high two three-pointers in two attempts, en route to her best scoring performance of her collegiate career with 11 points. Her ability to shoot from the outside and post inside - collecting a team-best and career-high five rebounds - enabled Warehime to get to work down on the block.

The 6-foot-1 forward shot 2-for-4 from the field, in addition to getting to the charity stripe seven times. Warehime, a 71.1 percent shooter from the line - good for 11th in the NEC - hit six free throws to register 11 points.

HOME STATE HOT STREAK: Junior forward Mercedez Walker returned home to Connecticut on Jan. 14 against Central Connecticut State University and impressed Fairleigh Dickinson fans with the best offensive performance of her career.

The 6-foot-3 forward dropped in six field goals for a new career-high, notching a then-personal-best 12 points. Walker's 12 shots also marked a new high, in addition to her then-career-high 26 minutes. ON THE RISE: The Knights posted five new team-highs versus St. Francis (PA) on Jan. 9, hard evidence of the strides the team has made over its first 11 games.

FDU's ball movement was smooth, as the team dropped in 32 field goals in 75 attempts. The open shots were a direct result of 24 assists and a season-low 15 turnovers.

The defense stepped up with 22 steals, however could not slow down the Red Flash's 56.4 field goal percentage, including 63.6 percent from long range and 80 percent from the foul line.

SHOOTER'S TOUCH: Sophomore guard Shanay Freeman zoned in versus St. Francis (PA) on Jan. 9, taking her game to a new level. The Laurelton, NY-native found her stroke from the outside, as well as successfully penetrating the lane to get to the charity stripe, draining 7-of-10 field goals in the first-half.

The sophomore's 17 first-half points matched her previous career high versus Wagner set last Feb. 2. Freeman hit 5-of-7 free throws and connected on 8-of-13 field goals for 21 points in 32 minutes of floor time. The guard also grabbed three rebounds, dished out three assists and grabbed two steals.

POST POWER: Fairleigh Dickinson's inside game caught fire when the Knights hosted St. Francis (PA) on Jan. 9. The starting front court - junior Mercedez Walker and sophomore Nikki Lockhart - combined for 15 points and 13 boards. Walker notched eight points, seven rebounds and a career-high three steals. Lockhart tallied seven points and six rebounds.

The Knights' success down low continued when Head Coach Sandy Gordon substituted fresh legs into the game in sophomore Jennifer Walkling and freshman Katie Warehime. Walkling played a then-season-high 20 minutes, recording 14 points and eight boards, while Warehime contributed nine points, four steals and three rebounds.

When the final buzzer sounded, the foursome posted a combined 38 points, 24 rebounds, and nine steals in 80 minutes.

DIRECTING THE FLOW: Sophomore point guard Megan Kirkland truly embodied the role of her position versus St. Francis (PA) on Jan. 9, looking to pass first and score second. The sophomore recorded a 2-to-1 assist to turnover ratio, on her way to posting two career-highs and Knight season-highs. FDU's floor general notched eight assists, in addition to six steals versus the Red Flash.

Kirkland also splashed in two three-pointers in four attempts, en route to eight points during a team-high 37 minutes.

NEC ELITE: The Knights rank fifth in the conference averaging 63.7 points per game. Defensively, FDU leads the NEC in blocked shots with 5.05 per game and 12.58 spg.

OWNING THE LANE: Junior forward Mercedez Walker proved one of the Knights' strong points in a physical contest versus Princeton University on Dec. 30. The 6-foot-3 intimidator put forth a season and-career-high 25 minutes, single-handedly defending All-Ivy League center Becky Brown.

Walker stepped up versus a dominating trio of Tiger post players, recording a game-high five blocks on the evening, in addition to ripping down a team-high seven rebounds. The defensive stalwart also chipped in a team-leading nine points, two steals and two assists.

Walker capped off her evening by draining her first-ever collegiate three-pointer.

A TOUGH WALK: The return of physical forward Jennifer Walkling to the Knights' lineup sparked FDU's post game versus Lafayette College, as the sophomore dropped in five points on 2-for-2 shooting in the first-half. Walkling finished the contest with 13 minutes of floor time, notching seven points, two rebounds and one block.

Through 12 games this season, Walkling has posted season-highs of 16 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and three steals.

ROLLING: Freshman forward Katie Warehime continues to build on her early season success, racking up a career-high 19 points in 27 minutes at Barry University on Dec. 4. In her NEC debut at Mount St. Mary's, the post player poured in a team-high 18 points.

On Dec. 11, the forward was named Choice Hotels NEC Rookie of the Week, marking the second occasion this season.

In FDU's 11 games, Warehime ranks tied for second-place on the squad with 9.3 ppg and has proven the Knights' leading scorer in five outings this season. Her 17.4 minutes per game top the Knights 11-player bench.

FRESHMEN FLOOR TIME: A youthful Knights' squad made significant strides versus the University of Miami, with five freshmen seeing double-digit minutes versus the home-standing Hurricanes.

Forward Katie Warehime sparked FDU with 13 points off the bench, including a 6-6 performance from the foul line.

Forwards Ashley Hayes and Jessica Naquin recorded career-high point totals with four and five points, respectively. The tandem also tallied career-highs in minutes, with Hayes playing 18 and Naquin 21.

Forward Heather Coombs matched her then-career-high minutes with 12, while setting a rebounding high with three.

SNEAKY SHANAY: Sophomore guard Shanay Freeman set a career-high in steals with five versus The University of Miami on Dec. 2. Freeman's new personal best came only two days after matching her previous career-high of four steals at St. John's University on Nov. 30.

ROLE PLAYER: Katie Warehime was named the Northeast Conference Choice Hotels NEC Rookie of the Week, for the first time on Nov. 28.

Warehime came off the bench to score double-figure points in the Knights' 75-64 win over Binghamton. The Littlestown, PA native dropped in 14 points, posted a team-high eight rebounds, registered four steals, while shooting 4-of-9 from the field and 6-of-7 from the free-throw line in 23 minutes.

Her performance marked the second occasion the freshman dropped in 10-straight points to spark the Knights this season.

PLAYING BIG: Megan Kirkland notched her first career double-double versus Columbia with 15 points and 13 rebounds. The sophomore has proven more than just Coach Sandy Gordon's floor general, averaging a 4.2 rpg and an NEC-second-best 2.9 steals per contest.

Kirkland also averages 8.7 ppg. The 5-6 point guard is registering 28.9 minutes per game, dishing out 3.1 assists a night. She is shooting 41.1 percent from three-point land on 56 attempts, second-best in the conference.

BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE: In her collegiate debut at University of Maryland - Baltimore County's Retriever Classic, forward Rachel Ormsby turned some heads in her sixth-man role, averaging 15.5 minutes per game. The freshman scored a team-high 15 points versus Columbia University on Nov. 19, in addition to notching six rebounds. The following day in the championship game, Ormsby contributed seven points and three rebounds in the Knights' loss to UMBC.

At 6-2 she has proven an outside threat, posting a 68.3 shooting percentage (7-12) from behind the arc and is 11-for-26 from the field.

Her exceptional tournament performance garnered NEC Choice Hotels Rookie of the Week honors in the first week of the season.

SETTING THE BAR: Junior forward Mercedez Walker shattered her previous career-high of two blocks versus Columbia. The junior tallied six stuffs in the contest to accompany her seven points and five rebounds. Her 11-point performance against UMBC the following day also set a career-high.

Walker continued her defensive dominance at Barry University on Dec. 4, notching four blocks, then again on Dec. 30 at Princeton, the forward tallied five.

The junior averages an NEC-leading 2.7 swats per game.

SENIOR SHOW: Lone senior Krissy Suckow was named to the UMBC Retriever Classic All-Tournament team following an impressive two-game performance. The guard averaged 11.0 points, 5.5 assists and 4.5 rebounds en route to the Knights' runner-up finish.

COACH QUOTES:

Columbia (11/19):

· "She's our floor general and it all starts with the point guard," Coach Sandy Gordon said. "Megan (Kirkland) got us going and put forth a solid all-around performance at both ends of the court."

· "We got some big minutes off the bench from our freshmen," Gordon said. "I'm going to play a lot of freshmen because we're so young and it's good to see different people step up at various times."

· "Coming off a season like last year, the win is huge," Gordon said. "The team has worked so hard and notching this win as a result of that diligence provides a huge confidence builder."

Binghamton (11/23):

· "This is a lot of firsts, winning at home and winning the home opener," Head Coach Sandy Gordon said. "This is a huge win going into a tough stretch. We knew they were going to be good, so this is a good win going into the holiday."

· "The difference between last year and this year is our depth and our tempo," Gordon said. "We try to push the ball in transition. From day one we've been harping on intensity and solid defense."

St. John's (11/30):

· "Tonight was a great effort - a great effort for 30 minutes," Gordon said. "Unfortunately, games are 40 minutes long and we got killed on the boards. As young as we are, to play with a team like that, it's a positive."

· "They had a ton of points off put backs," Gordon said. "They made their run off the offensive boards. Regardless, we'll take this experience and build from here."

Mount St. Mary's (12/10):

· "Katie (Warehime) had a big game," Gordon said. "For her to come in and leave an impact the way she has in seven games has been a huge lift."

· "That's NEC basketball," Gordon said. "Every game is close. We got down 14 points but we still competed and didn't quit. The bottom line is 32 turnovers won't get it done."

Quinnipiac (1/7):

· "It's a disappointing loss," Head Coach Sandy Gordon said. "It was a game of runs and we had too many mistakes at key points, particularly turnovers at critical times. We missed too many lay-ups and in NEC basketball the team that makes the fewest mistakes will win the game."

St. Francis NY (1/20):

· "Tonight we played well with the lead," Head Coach Sandy Gordon said. "We played to win and the result was a victory. We finally got the monkey off our back and got a big win, which is a huge boost to our confidence."

· "That (Kirkland's three-pointer with 1:22 remaining) was a huge shot," Gordon continued, "Especially because of the way we have a tendency to give up leads late. We changed up the line-up a bit and Meg provided a spark off the bench with her confident shooting."

· "The win's even sweeter because it was televised (on Fox Sports Network - New York)," Gordon said. "We play hard regardless of whether it's on TV but we've been fighting and battling to get a win for (Assistant) Coach (Joymarie) Swanson, who we know was at home watching. Above all, it's great to see the kids smiling."

Robert Morris (1/28):

· "It's a heart-breaking loss," Head Coach Sandy Gordon said. "We did everything right, but come out on the right side of the scoreboard. It was a great effort, but we just came up short in the end - turnovers and missed foul shots cost us."

St. Francis PA (1/30):

· "It's been a long time since Fairleigh Dickinson has beaten St. Francis here (in Loretto)," Head Coach Sandy Gordon said. "We've been struggling to put teams away, and tonight we played with the lead and didn't give it back. We showed a killer instinct and played with confidence."

· "This is a big game for us," Gordon said. "A win like this can get us going as we make our push toward the playoffs."

Long Island (2/4):

· "Today we beat ourselves," Head Coach Sandy Gordon said. "We're right there. It's another one where we came up short."

RULE OF 10: FDU remained close in nearly every contest last season, but couldn't seem to catch a break. How close were they? A total of 18 of their school-record 25 losses were by 10 or fewer points.

PRESEASON POLL: The Knights were chosen to finish tenth in the NEC preseason coaches poll, according to a vote of the league's head coaches. The rankings and preseason all-conference team were announced during a media teleconference with coaches.

The Knights, who ended last season 2-25 overall with a 1-17 mark in league action, finished ahead of only ahead of Staten Island's Wagner College.

The squad ended the season short of the conference tournament for only the second time in Coach Gordon's six seasons as Fairleigh Dickinson.

THE COACHES: Head Coach Sandy Gordon enters her seventh season with the Knights. She has led her team to the NEC Tournament in four of her six seasons manning the bench, with the team bowing out in the first round in each of those tournaments. Gordon expects her squad of 13 underclassmen to be competitive in every game.

This offseason, Gela Mikalauskas returned the bench of Wagner College after previously coaching the Seahawks from 1979-90, guiding the program to a school record 174 wins in her 11 years at the helm. Along the way she compiled three 20 win seasons, including a school record 24 victories in the 1983-84 campaign when Wagner put together an unmatched 17-game winning streak.

During her prior Wagner coaching stint, Mikalauskas led the Seahawks to seven-straight league tournament berths, winning the 1989 Northeast Conference Tournament.

Mikalauskas played point guard for two seasons at Wagner, leading the Seahawks to the only undefeated season in school history (13-0) in 1973-74. In 1974-75, she averaged 20.1 ppg in helping lead the Seahawks to a 12-4 record. She was inducted into the Wagner Athletics Hall of Fame in 1991