The Fairleigh Dickinson University women's basketball team was defeated by Princeton University on Wednesday night, 77-44, in an in-state battle at Stratis Arena in the Rothman Center in Hackensack, NJ. The Tigers improve to 10-2 on the season, while the Knights fall to 4-7 overall.
Junior Alyssa Mayrose (Freehold, NJ/Freehold) led the Knights with nine points. Fellow classmate Kayla Killian (Cliffwood Beach, NJ/St. John Vianney) added a career-high seven points. Sophomore Jenna Strich, making her first start of the season, grabbed six rebounds to lead the squad.
After Princeton scored the first basket of the game, sophomore Mariyah Laury (Orange, NJ/Orange) knocked down a tough five-foot jumper in the lane with the shot clock winding down to tie the game at two. After two more baskets by the Tigers, junior Jordan Sykes (Avalon, NJ/Holy Spirit) fed Killan for a lay-up to put the Knights down 6-4. Princeton scored nine unanswered points before Killian's three-pointer from the top of the key cut the Tigers' lead to 15-7. The Tigers' lead would grow to 12 before sophomore Amy Longo (Pittsburgh, PA/North Catholic)'s three-point jumper from the corner cut the lead to 20-11. Princeton outscored FDU over the final eight minutes of the half, 22-8, and headed into the locker room with its largest lead of the game, 42-19.
Killian led the Knights in the first half with five points. Princeton shot a blistering 59 percent (16-27) from the field, while the Knights only shot 20 percent (6-30). The Tigers also out-rebounded the Knights, 20-17. Seven different Knights registered at least one rebound.
FDU was able to force 10 Princeton turnovers in the first half, but the Knights also turned the ball over 12 times. The Tigers scored 21 points off the Knights' turnovers. Princeton also had a favorable advantage with points in the paint as they outscored the Knights down-low, 18-4.
Mayrose's backdoor lay-up from Sykes started the scoring in the second half. However, the Tigers outscored the Knights 23-6 over a nine minute stretch to take their largest lead of the game, 65-27, with 10:03 to go. The two teams played almost even for the last 10 minutes of the game.
"Princeton is an unbelievable team," said Head Coach Pete Cinella. "They are the best team we have played all season. There were a couple of points during the first half I thought we could hang with them, but they kept hitting shots."
Addie Micir led Princeton with 16 points. She also connected on four of six three-pointers. Tani Brown added 15 points on five three-pointers. The Tigers finished the game shooting 49 percent (28-57) from the field, including 55 percent from long-range (11-20). Princeton also dominated in the paint, outscoring the Knights, 30-12, in the post.
Princeton narrowly out-rebounded FDU, 41-38. The Tigers won the turnover battle as they only turned the ball over 14 times compared to 18 by the Knights. Princeton scored 28 points off the Knights' miscues. FDU also finished the game shooting 21 percent (12-56) from the field.
The Knights are back in action on Monday, Jan 4, at 7:00 p.m. for a road tilt versus NJIT in Newark Heights, NJ.
