The backcourt fueled the Fairleigh Dickinson University women's basketball team's first Northeast Conference win of the season, a 60-54 decision, Monday, Dec. 8 at Monmouth University. Junior Jordan Sykes (Avalon, NJ/Holy Spirit) was perfect from the field, while freshman Mariyah Laury (Orange, NJ/Orange) took over the overtime period, as the Knights moved to 1-1 in league action, and 2-5 overall.
In a game televised on MSG at Boylan Gymnasium in West Long Branch, NJ, Sykes registered a trio of season-highs: 17 points, five rebounds, and three steals. She shot 5-for-5 from the floor, and nailed three attempts from deep, through 43 minutes. After early foul trouble, Laury scored FDU's first seven points in OT, en route to a game-high 18 points.
Junior forward Christy Altamirano (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) notched her second double-double of the year, compiling 13 points and 10 boards, flanked by three assists. In her first career start, center Esther Wallace (Springfield, MA/Springfield Central) matched her previous season-high of 17 minutes by the end of the first half, en route to logging 23 minutes of floor time. The freshman also contributed a career-best three blocks.
Fairleigh Dickinson limited forward Jennifer Bender to seven points, as the senior entered the match-up averaging 17.7 points per game and 8.4 rebounds a night. While Bender accounted for a game-high 12 rips, she was contained for only one field goal ? with 9:48 left in regulation.
The Hawks dipped back to .500 at 4-4 overall and fell to 0-2 in NEC action. Head Coach Peter Cinella's squad survived 17 points by senior forward LaKia Barber ? 15 of which came after halftime. Meanwhile, freshman guard Alexis Canady collected 11 points in the second half, amidst going for 12 points, seven boards, and three assists.
Freshman center Erica McKeithan (Newport News, VA/Heritage) scored the Knights' last four points via free throws, going 4-for-4. Despite being out-rebounded by 26 (the squad allowed 30 offensive boards), Fairleigh Dickinson's 21-for-25 showing at the charity stripe trumped MU's 18-for-32 showing.
“This is a great, gutty win created by a dominate effort in the first half,” Cinella said. “Monmouth put together a tremendous comeback, but Mariyah and Jordan continued to hit big shots. We kept fighting and got some key contributions from our post players, Esther and (sophomore forward) Kayla Killian (Cliffwood Beach, NJ/St. John Vianney).”
Killian saw a career-best 23 minutes of playing time, while classmate Alyssa Mayrose (Freehold, NJ/Freehold), a guard, persevered through all 45 minutes. During her career-high minutes, Mayrose swiped a game-best three steals.
Monmouth struck first, before FDU went up, 3-2, following a three-ball from the left wing by Sykes. The junior pushed it to 6-3 with 12:53 remaining, stepping into another attempt from downtown ? this time from the opposite side of the hardwood.
Altamirano sliced through the paint and rattled home a scoop shot to make the count 16-9 in favor of the Knights. On the ensuing possession and with 5:56 left, Mayrose ducked behind a screen and swished a long deuce.
A jumper with her foot on the line, courtesy of Laury, allowed for a double-digit lead, 20-9, at the 4:09 mark.
The Knights hit the break up 26-9 ? their largest advantage of the year. Fairleigh Dickinson was sparked by Sykes' already pair of season-bests, 10 points and five rebounds. Meanwhile, Cinella's defense only surrendered one field goal during the half's final 10:20. Holding a 24-16 edge on the glass, including 15 offensive rips, the Hawks were held just shy of 14 points below their first half average.
After a 5-0 start to the second stanza by the home-standing squad, Sykes blew by a defender and recorded a lay-in from the left block. The margin was trimmed to single digits, but Altamirano connected for a trifecta from the right corner to create a 33-21 contest with 12:54 remaining. The effort was amidst a 7-0 surge, which her five points ultimately kick-started.
Barber responded with seven unanswered points, before Laury popped a pull-up from just inside the arc. With exactly nine minutes left, the Knights regained the 10-point cushion, 42-32, after Laury made good with three opportunities from the charity stripe ? on her way to seven-straight.
The Hawks brought it to one possession when Sykes splashed home an attempt from long range. FDU remained on top, 46-41, at the 5:29 mark.
Senior guard Marisa Jiminez canned a wide open three with 2:25 remaining, propelling Monmouth to its second advantage of the evening. Two trips down the floor later, Sykes had a steal slip through her hands, with MU senior guard Marbely Montas nailing a J to go up 49-47. Sykes made good on the offensive end to force overtime, capitalizing on a second chance, one-handed runner in the paint.
In the extra session, Laury hit from beyond the perimeter, but the Hawks tallied five-straight. Laury drove left and delivered a fade-away from the left elbow. The count stood at 54 all at the 2:26 mark.
Laury cashed in for a tandem at the line and proved responsible for FDU's initial seven points in OT. McKeithan's only points of the evening sealed the win.
Fairleigh Dickinson heads to Dover, DE to take on Delaware State University at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 13.
