The Fairleigh Dickinson University women's basketball team snapped a three-game skid on the campus of Saint Francis University in Loretto, PA, Saturday, Feb. 9, winning 69-59. Freshman guard Jasmyra Saunders (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Catholic) poured in a career-high 24 points for the Knights (9-14 overall, 5-7 Northeast Conference) while Head Coach Peter Cinella registered his 300th career victory.
Senior forward Jennifer Walkling (Westminster, MD/Westminster) went for 23 points and nine rebounds with sophomore forward Christy Altamirano (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) totaling her third double-double of the season, compiling 13 points and a game-high 10 boards.
“Today was a big game ? any road win this time of year is clutch,” Cinella said. “This is huge in our drive for the No. 5 seed in the NEC Tournament.”
Fairleigh Dickinson out-rebounded SFU, 51-27, and shot 49% from the field.
The Red Flash (6-16 overall, 3-8 NEC) tallied the afternoon's first hoop, before FDU jumped ahead with 17:47 remaining, as senior guard Megan Kirkland (Glen Allen, VA/Hermitage) delivered an arcing pass to a streaking Walkling for a lay-in.
Altamirano flashed into the lane and rattled home a turnaround from the left elbow. SFU sophomore Brittney Hodges responded with a mid-range jumper, as the guard recorded her squad's first three field goals.
Walkling spotted up from the left wing and knocked down her third career three-pointer, and first of the season. On the ensuing possession she popped a 15-footer from the right side, creating a 15-6 lead at the 13:44 mark.
St. Francis scored six-straight, before Cinella's offense worked the ball around the perimeter and found senior guard Shanay Freeman (Laurelton, NY/Towsend Harris) for a three-ball. However, Hodges answered at the other end, bringing the count to 18-14, with 8:41 left.
Saunders tallied a fast break deuce, prior to Red Flash junior guard Shawna Scott pulling up from downtown at the other end. Fairleigh Dickinson was ahead, 26-19, at the 4:31 mark after junior center Shenika Chang (New York, NY/Park West) notched an inside bucket and Saunders struck again for two in transition.
Facing its second nine-point deficit of the day, sophomore swing guard Lauren Donahoe triggered a 5-0 home-standing run with a trey in the waning minutes.
The Knights were up, 30-24, at halftime, fueled by 16 points in the paint and a 29-14 advantage on the boards. Walkling scored 13 points ? including 11 of FDU's initial 15 points. Hodges countered with eight points, as SFU only turned the ball over four times.
“We were able to take command by consistently hitting big shots and doing a great job on the boards,” Cinella said. “Christy and Jasmyra stepped up offensively, and Shanay provided an emotional lift.”
Saunders went off-glass with an off-balanced runner then tickled the twine with a pull-up from behind the arc, as FDU opened the second-half with a 6-2 surge, en route to its first double-digit margin, 36-26. The rookie would ultimately drop in seven-consecutive, before Altamirano earned three the hard way, en route to scoring seven-straight of her own.
Donahoe capped a 9-4 push by St. Francis, creating a 45-42 contest with 11:56 remaining. Freeman converted an offensive put-back then flipped a pass to Walkling on the break to open things up, 49-42.
Walkling made good on an old-fashioned three-point play, before former high school teammate, St. Francis senior forward Emily Bollinger, tallied back-to-back field goals.
Altamirano sparked a 13-0 run with a long deuce. Saunders slashed her way to the tin twice, and Walkling corralled an offensive board and went off glass, as the Knights took command, 60-48, with 4:52 left. The gap widened to 65-50 after Saunders connected from long-range and Walkling crashed the offensive glass for two.
SFU freshman guard Samantha Leach nailed a trifecta amidst a 7-0 response and then worked her way inside for a bucket, making the count 65-57 at the 2:31 mark. Saunders rebutted with a pair of left-handed lay-ins.
Hodges posted a team-high 16 points, with Leach adding 14. Bollinger fell short of a double-double bid with 10 points and nine rebounds.
Fairleigh Dickinson travels to Moon Township, PA to take on Robert Morris University at 7:00 p.m., Monday, Feb. 11.
