By virtue of a 60-41 decision, the Fairleigh Dickinson University women's basketball team made it back-to-back Northeast Conference victories on the campus of Long Island University in Brooklyn, NY, Monday, Feb. 2. The Knights improved to 6-14 overall and 5-6 in the Northeast Conference.
The game featured two of the nation's top freshmen scorers in home-standing forward Ashley Palmer (first, 17.4 ppg) and Fairleigh Dickinson guard Mariyah Laury (Orange, NJ/Orange) (tenth, 13.5 ppg). The duo ? whom combines to form the country's top league scoring tandem ? did not disappoint fans. Laury won the match-up, registering a game-high 18 points and a career-high, and FDU single-game-best, five steals. Palmer provided 13 points and nine rebounds.
LIU out-rebounded Head Coach Peter Cinella's squad, 41-37, but was pressured into 24 turnovers. The Knights' 21-5 outburst of the final 9:24 sealed things, while they held a 30-9 stronghold in points off turnovers.
Sophomore guard Alyssa Mayrose (Freehold, NJ/Freehold)'s 16 points and six rebounds allowed for Fairleigh Dickinson's first-ever win at the Wellness Center. Her squad held two additional pivotal advantages, including a 28-22 differential in the paint. FDU also owned an 8-0 command in bench scoring.
Junior forward Christy Altamirano (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) posted nine points and nine rips. Senior center Shenika Chang (New York, NY/Park West) went for six points and five rebounds.
Despite a double-double of 11 points and 13 rebounds, from sophomore forward Chelsi Johnson, the Blackbirds dipped to 7-14 overall and 2-8 in the NEC. Johnson added five steals, while senior guard Li'Esha Garcia matched her career-best scoring output with eight points.
“Defensively, this was our strongest effort of the year,” Cinella said. “We played 40 minutes of very tough, aggressive defense. It was really a team effort from top to bottom ? everyone went all out.”
FDU opened the night on a five-point roll, capped by a long three courtesy of Mayrose. After 4:33 elapsed, Long Island scored its first hoop, en route to a 9-2 push.
Junior guard Jordan Sykes (Avalon, NJ/Holy Spirit) ? who finished with five dimes ? kicked out to Laury and the freshman knotted things with a baseline jumper. However, Palmer ignited an 8-0 answer with a trey from up top.
With 10:05 remaining, Sykes pulled back on the fast break, and freshman center Erica McKeithan (Newport News, VA/Heritage) was able to snap a 3:10 scoring drought with a spot-up from just inside the arc. Laury rattled home an off-balance effort down low ? followed by a transitional runner by the rookie ? as Fairleigh Dickinson cut the deficit to 19-17 at the 6:36 mark.
The Knights regained command, 24-22, after Mayrose punctuated a 13-3 surge by canning a wide-open three-ball from the left wing. FDU clung to a 26-25 lead at the break, forcing nine turnovers. Laury recorded 10 points, while Palmer countered with nine points. Yet, Long Island held a 22-17 advantage on the boards.
The Blackbirds struck for the first points in the second half, but Altamirano answered by banking home a trifecta. A put-back by Mayrose allowed the margin to extend to five points in favor of the visitors. However, six-straight from Long Island made it a 33-32 Blackbird lead with 13:16 left.
A backdoor lay-in from Mayrose stopped a 3:51 field goal drought, immediately followed by a swipe and conversion by Laury. Sykes earned three the hard way and shifted the count to 39-35, FDU, at the 10:02 juncture.
Mayrose stepped into her second charge of the evening and at the other end of the hardwood Chang made good on a second-chance deuce, en route to opening up a double-digit cushion. Amidst a 2-on-1, Mayrose capitalized off a no-look from Laury, pushing it to 50-38 with 4:16 remaining.
Fairleigh Dickinson hosts Army at 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4.
