Box Score
The Fairleigh Dickinson University women's basketball team defeated NJIT, 68-57, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2011 at Fleisher Athletic Center in Newark, NJ. With the win the Knights improve to 1-2 on the season, while the Highlanders fall to 1-1.
The Knights used an artillery of scoring power, including five players with double-digit points, to beat the Highlanders. Freshman #Erika Livermore (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth Area)# picked up her first double-double of her career with 10 points and 13 rebounds. Senior #Mariyah Laury (Orange, NJ/Orange)# and sophomore #Danielle Pankey (Middletown, N.J./Middletown South)# led the team with 16 points each.
Esther Wallace (Springfield, MA/Springfield Central) and #Stephanie Isaacs (Fair Haven, N.J./Rumson-Fair Haven)# also scored in the double-digits with 11 points each.
Wallace put the first two points on the scoreboard just twenty seconds in but the Highlanders were quick to respond. Through the first five minutes, the score was tied on four occasions.
With 15 minutes remaining in the first half Livermore added the Knights' 10th points to spark an 8-0 run for FDU. Pankey's layup with 12:42 to go put the Knights up, 16-8.
A nine-point run from the Highlanders cut the Knights' lead to just one point. With NJIT threatening to take the lead Livermore single-handedly created a six-point lead for the Knights.
In the final minutes of the second half NJIT fought back. Five points from Nicole Maticka cut FDU's advantage to just two points, 36-34, at the break.
Livermore led the squad with nine points and seven rebounds in the first half. She went four-for-five from the field. The Knights shot 42.4% and out-rebounded the Highlanders, 20-14.
The second half started off slow, each team scoring a combined seven points in the first five minutes. Laury increased the Knights' lead to nine points with three-consecutive jump shots. A big three pointer from Pankey brought the score of 50-39 in favor of FDU, the team's biggest lead of the game.
A 6-0 run for NJIT cut the lead to five points before a turnover enabled the Highlanders to get within two points with four minutes left to play. Again, Pankey hit a crucial three pointer to extend the FDU lead to seven points with less than three minutes to go.
In the final minute, FDU went six-for-six from the free-throw line to end the game with an 11 point margin, 68-57. The Knights went 19-for-22 (86.4%) from the free-throw line during the game.
Wallace finished the game with seven rebounds, while Pankey added five. Laury brought down four boards and recorded three assists and three steals.
FDU finished the game with a season-high 44 rebounds, compared to the Highlanders' 35. They also produced a season-low 18 turnovers, 15 less than they recorded at BC.
The Knights travel to West Point, NY on Saturday, Nov. 19 for a 1:00 pm tip-off against Army. Listen live at FDUKnights.com.
