Christy Altamirano (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) notched a double-double to lead the Fairleigh Dickinson University women's basketball team past host Howard, 66-46, on Friday evening at Burr Gymnasium in Washington, D.C. The Knights improve to 4-8, while the Bison fall to 0-11 on the season.
Altamirano posted 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Jennifer Walkling (Westminster, MD/Westminster) was just shy of a double-double, recording 14 points and nine rebounds. Shanay Freeman (Laurelton, NY/Towsend Harris) added 13 points and Jasmyra Saunders (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Catholic) gave the Knights 12 points.
The Bison took an early 7-3 lead, capped by a three-pointer from Shannon Carlisle. Fairleigh Dickinson took a three-point lead midway through the first period after a jumper by Walkling put the Knights up 17-14. But Reyna Gross connected on one of two from the line and then sank a lay-up to tie up the game for the fifth time in 13 minutes.
The two teams would see three more ties and the lead changed hands seven times in the first half. Megan Kirkland (Glen Allen, VA/Hermitage) sank a pair from the free throw line with 33 seconds on the clock to put the Knights ahead by one, but Howard entered the half ahead with a slight advantage, 29-28, after Carlisle netted a jumper at the buzzer.
The two teams exchanged baskets early in the second half. Carlisle connected on a lay-up with 18:05 on the clock to give the Bison a 33-32 advantage, but that would be their last lead of the game.
The Knights staged an 18-5 run with over the next 10 minutes. Saunders scored six points during the run, which was capped by a lay-in from Walkling and gave FDU a 52-38 lead at 8:36 to play.
Aside from a three-pointer by Lonice Kenley with 42 seconds remaining, the Knights were able to hold HU scoreless for the final 5:51 of the contest.
FDU out-shot the Bison, shooting 42.4 percent from the floor, while holding Howard to 24.2 percent. The Knights held a strong advantage on the boards, out-rebounding Howard 60-42 and Kirkland dished out five assists. HU shot 9-of-22 from the charity stripe and were outscored 40-18 in the paint. Carlisle led Howard with 10 points.
“We had a great defensive effort in the second half,” said Head Coach Peter Cinella. “I was really pleased by the play of Megan Kirkland (Glen Allen, VA/Hermitage) and Shenika Chang (New York, NY/Park West), who haven't played much yet this season but gave us a great lift tonight.”
The Knights are back in action when they travel to play conference foe Mount St. Mary's on January 5 at 7:00 p.m.
