The Fairleigh Dickinson University women's basketball team returned to action in Hackensack, NJ, Thursday, Jan. 15, following three-consecutive road tilts. The Knights (4-11) were upended by the New Jersey Institute of Technology, 79-69, at Stratis Arena in the Rothman Center.
Head Coach Peter Cinella's squad dipped to 3-3 at home on the year, despite a career-high 24 points from freshman guard Mariyah Laury (Orange, NJ/Orange) (Orange, NJ). Senior center Shenika Chang (New York, NY/Park West) (New York, NJ) added her second double-double of the year, notching 10 points and 10 rebounds.
The Knights only committed 10 turnovers, but were out-rebounded 41-32. Junior forward Christy Altamirano (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) (Bayonne, NJ) registered 12 points and seven boards. Junior guard Jordan Sykes (Avalon, NJ/Holy Spirit) (Avalon, NJ) tallied 17 points (tying her season-high) and five assists ? making all eight of her free throw attempts.
The Highlanders (4-11) were fueled by a career-high 22 points courtesy of senior guard Jackie McCaffrey (Bronx, NY). NJIT recorded its first-ever win against Fairleigh Dickinson, in the third meeting between schools. Senior guard Jill Dickinson (Milltown, NJ) posted four three-pointers (13 points) to complement McCaffrey's five strikes from deep.
Sophomore guard Jessica Gerald (Woolwich Township, NJ) went for 22 points for the visitors. Sophomore forward Ivana Seric (Split, Croatia) chipped-in 11 points and nine rebounds, with junior forward Taiwo Oyelola (Roselle, NJ) going for nine points, 10 rips, and five assists.
After FDU won the opening tip, Altamirano converted a turnaround on the interior. However, Gerald answered with an inbounds trey in unison with the shot clock expiring. Through its first five possessions, the visitors knocked down 3-of-4 attempts from behind the arc.
Amidst an 18-5 push spanning 4:25, Dickinson drained a three-ball from the left wing to keep NJIT ahead with 15:08 remaining.
Sykes executed an entry pass into the right block, and Chang went window. Freshman forward Erica McKeithan (Newport News, VA/Heritage) (Newport News, VA) crashed the offensive boards and Laury swished a trifecta from straight on; ultimately capping an 11-0 rebuttal where FDU sliced things to one possession, 18-16.
McKeithan hit the charity stripe and connected twice, as Fairleigh Dickinson regained the lead for a second time, 22-21, at the 9:05 mark. The two squads then exchanged baskets, before Laury attacked the rack, and earned three the hard way to afford a 31-17 advantage with 5:01 left.
The count at halftime stood in favor of the Knights, 39-36. Laury scored 12 points, while Chang contributed 10 and six. Gerald's 11 points ? which were matched by McCaffrey after shooting 3-for-3 from downtown ? allowed for eight lead changes in the opening period.
Altamirano provided the first to strike in the second stanza. NJIT battled back for a one-point lead, prior to Altramirano capitalizing on an over the top feed from Sykes. Laury followed by rattling home a fade-away ? good for a 45-42 margin ? but Gerald's old-fashioned three-point play knotted things once again.
The Knights would be forced to chip away after the Highlanders strung together seven unanswered points. With 11:54 on the clock, Laury picked an NJIT pocket and went half the length of the floor. McCaffrey responded on the ensuing trip down the hardwood with a rare four-point play. She struck again for three during a 9-0 spurt.
Altamirano popped a triple with 9:07 to return it to a single-digit hole, 58-50. Less than three minutes later, Sykes sparked a 9-0 push by stepping into a three-pointer from the left wing. Following a timeout, her dime during the fast break allowed for an open look for Laury. Fairleigh Dickinson's rookie would punctuate the surge at the 5:13 mark, draining a baseline jumper.
“NJIT shot the ball very well all night,” Cinella said. “Our guards ? particularly Mariyah and Jordan ? kept attacking the basket to keep us close. NJIT just hit big three's down the stretch.”
NJIT's Dickinson twice canned three-balls to quiet a raucous crowd ? the latter enabling a 70-61 command with 2:09 remaining.
Fairleigh Dickinson returns to action, Monday, Jan. 19, hosting Monmouth University in a 3:00 p.m. matinee. The contest marks the two programs' second meeting of the 2008-09 campaign, and the third game of the Garden State Rivalry Series ? a combined match-up between the men's and women's intrastate foes.
