The Fairleigh Dickinson University women's basketball team was victorious, 74-45, on the campus of Central Connecticut State University, Saturday, Jan. 19 in New Britain, CT. Senior forward Jennifer Walkling (Westminster, MD/Westminster) scored 20 points, en route to crossing the 1,000 career point threshold in the early goings of the second-half.
Sophomore forward Christy Altamirano (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) chipped-in 10 points and eight rebounds, helping the Knights improve to 7-10 overall and 3-3 in the Northeast Conference. Senior center Mercedez Walker (Stratford, CT/Bunnell) and senior guard Shanay Freeman (Laurelton, NY/Towsend Harris) each finished with 10 points.
“We shot the ball well and did a great job of getting the right people the right looks,” Head Coach Peter Cinella said. “Our man-to-man [defense] worked early on and made Central Connecticut tired. We stepped up the intensity and the shift to a 2-3 zone in the second-half was even more effective.”
FDU got on the board first, before the Blue Devils (3-15, 2-5 NEC) scored five-straight. Freshman guard Alyssa Mayrose (Freehold, NJ/Freehold) slashed into the lane with seconds on the shot clock and dropped-in a floater with 15:27 remaining, as the Knights jumped ahead, 8-5.
Freshman guard Jenna Strich connected from downtown, while Walkling and frontcourt mate Altamirano pounded the paint amidst a 17-0 run, as the Knights went up, 18-5, at the 13:19 mark.
CCSU freshman guard Alexzandria Dowdy knocked down a three-ball with 6:52 left, capping a 7-0 push and cutting the deficit to single digits, 24-16. Three possessions later, Blue Devils' freshman forward Kerrianne Dugan notched a put-back, bringing things to 25-20.
Fairleigh Dickinson beat the press following a media timeout and Strich fed Freeman in the right corner for a trey. On the next trip down the floor, the rookie dished to Altamirano for a long deuce from the left wing.
The Knights closed out the initial 20 minutes on a 16-6 surge with Walker accounting for five of those points. Walkling tallied 11 points and five boards, as FDU held a 41-28 advantage at the break ? their highest 20-minute scoring total of the year. Central Connecticut sophomore guard Emily Rose drained two trifectas, with sophomore guard P.J. Wade adding six points.
Fairleigh Dickinson opened the second-half with back-to-back buckets. Walkling recorded a lay-in with 18:34 remaining to join the 1,000-point club.
“No matter how often she gets knocked down, Jen always gets right back up,” Cinella said. “”She's all grit and brings a special toughness to this team. Today was just another game where she finds a way to get it done and takes it right to the defense.”
Mayrose capitalized on consecutive isolation opportunities on the left block to spark an 11-0 run, while scoring four-straight. Walker stepped into an attempt from behind the arc ? her second of the afternoon and third of the season ? at the 10:51 mark, giving FDU a 55-33 lead.
With 7:18 remaining, CCSU sophomore forward Kanita Boone halted the Knights' run ? and an 8:00 drought from the field ? with a three. Freeman came down the hardwood and answered with a three-ball of her own.
Walkling notched two hoops, then Altamirano capped off the 8-0 push with a pair of steals and lay-ups, creating a 68-37 contest with 4:37 left.
Boone paced the Blue Devils with 10 points, while Dugan hauled down a team-best seven rebounds.
Fairleigh Dickinson travels to Fairfield, CT to take on the top team in the league, Sacred Heart University, at 7:00 p.m., Monday, Jan. 21.
