The Fairleigh Dickinson University women's basketball team won, 64-43, in Brooklyn Heights, NY, versus St. Francis College, Saturday, Feb. 14. The Knights' offensive execution allowed them to improve to 9-15 overall and 8-6 in the Northeast Conference, while collecting their fifth-consecutive league decision.
A 54.5% shooting percentage over the initial 20 minutes allowed for program history, as Head Coach Peter Cinella's current conference winning streak proves the first such string since the 1992-93 campaign. That season, Fairleigh Dickinson put together eight-and-six-game winning streaks in Northeast Conference action.
Two student-athletes registered double-doubles: junior forward Christy Altamirano (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) and sophomore guard Alyssa Mayrose (Freehold, NJ/Freehold). Altamirano racked up a game-high 19 points, coupled with 10 rebounds. Mayrose tallied 11 points and 10 boards, as the Knights swept the season series from their host for the second time in three seasons. It was Altamirano's eighth double-double of the season and Mayrose's third.
Freshman guard Mariyah Laury (Orange, NJ/Orange) knocked down nine field goals for the fifth time this season, en route to going for a double-figure scoring effort for the sixth-straight game. Classmate Esther Wallace (Springfield, MA/Springfield Central), a center, contributed four rips and three swats.
The Terriers (4-20 overall, 3-11 NEC) played without the services of senior guard Kara Ayers ? the NEC's leader in scoring and minutes played. Sophomore guard Shannon Gantt and junior forward Kendra Williams attempted to pick up the slack. Gantt scored a team-best 11 points, while Williams corralled a game-high 13 rebounds.
“Defensively, we put together a good, 40-minute effort; and also had one of our better rebounding efforts,” Cinella said. “We need to continue to play well and keep the momentum going.”
Fairleigh Dickinson capitalized for 23 points off turnovers, while holding a 28-16 edge in points in the paint. SFC bench posted a 17-9 lead in bench scoring.
Back-to-back buckets on the interior courtesy of Altamirano put FDU up one-point quickly. Seven-straight by St. Francis ? capped by junior guard Melissa Weithman's second trey of the afternoon ? made for a 10-4 home-standing margin with 16:48 remaining.
The Knights rebutted with six-unanswered field goals, ultimately extending their lead to 16-10, with 12:52 remaining. In the span, Laury took it to the tin on four occasions.
In less than one minute, Gantt scored five-straight for her squad. But in that span, Altamirano answered with a trey from the right wing, and Mayrose netted a baseline jumper, keeping a 21-15 cushion at the 11:52 mark.
Amidst a 16-0- bombardment, junior guard Jordan Sykes (Avalon, NJ/Holy Spirit) bounced off a defender and pulled up for a long J. Sykes, Laury and Altamirano all struck twice, while senior guard Nasim Ahmadzadeh (Uppsala, Sweden/Lofstromsgymnasium) canned a wide open look from long distance. Things stood at 37-17 in favor of the Knights, with 2:48 on the clock. SFC ultimately didn't score for an interval of 9:03.
FDU hit the break up, 39-21, as Laury accounted for 14 points and Altamirano went for 12 points. Gantt countered with seven points.
Over three minutes of scoreless action ushered in the second half. Mayrose intercepted an inbounds pass and dropped-in a lay-up, followed by a runner from Laury. The Terriers snapped a 5:56 skid from the floor by virtue of three-ball off the fingertips of freshman guard Vianca Tejada, en route to slicing the deficit to 45-25.
After a 10-1 spurt by St. Francis, the Knights halted a 3:22 field goal drought. Altamirano swished a one-handed turnaround to bring the count to 48-32 at the 8:46 mark. An off-balanced attempt in the paint from Laury soon shifted things to a 20-point margin.
The Knights host Central Connecticut State University at 7:00 p.m., Monday, Feb. 16 at Stratis Arena in the Rothman Center. Both squads will be participating in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Pink Zone? initiative.
