The Fairleigh Dickinson University women's basketball team improved to 3-2 in Northeast Conference play with a 70-60 win over St. Francis NY on Saturday, Jan. 14 in Brooklyn Heights, NY.  The Knights improve to 8-9 on the season, while the Terriers fall to 1-15, with a 0-5 mark in NEC play. 

After trailing, 36-32 at halftime, the Knights out-scored St. Francis NY, 38-24, including a 30-6 run during the second half to take the win.  Both teams shot over 45% from the field through 40 minutes. 

Senior Mariyah Laury (Orange, NJ/Orange) made history in the win, becoming FDU's all-time leader in made free-throws.  Laury converted 10 of 12 free-throws to increase her career total to 403.  Laury also scored 28 points, a season-high. 

The Terriers began the game with an immediate three pointer by Katie Fox.  The Knights responded quickly to take a 5-3 lead in the first two minutes. 

After two consecutive three-pointers by freshman Stephanie Issacs, the Terriers responded from beyond the arc to tie the game for the first of six times in the first half. 

Although St. Francis held the lead for the majority of the remaining time, they did not take more than a two point lead until the final 44 seconds of play. 

Four made free throws in the final two minutes of the half enabled SFNY to take a four-point lead after 20 minutes of action. 

St. Francis held a 32-36 advantage at the break.  The Terriers shot a blistering 59.1% from the floor to hold the Knights to under 35 points.  FDU shot a season-high 42.3% in the first half, but it was not enough to keep up with SFNY. 

The Terriers began the half with their sixth made three-pointer of the game, enabling them to take a seven-point lead.  With 17 minutes remaining in the game, Laury cut the lead to five points and started the momentum swing in the Knights' favor.

Sophomore Danielle Pankey (Middletown, N.J./Middletown South) stole the Terrier inbounds pass with 16:10 to go and drove to the basket for a layup, cutting the deficit to one point.  A three-pointer from freshman Mariah Nunes (Ajax, Ontario/Bill Crothers ) gave the Knights their first lead of the half.

The Knights used those plays to compile a 16-1 run.  With 13:19 left to play, the Knights led, 49-42. 

By the time the clock counted down to six minutes the Knights had increased their lead to 12 points and compiled a 30-6 run on 12 second-half points from Laury. 

A traditional three-point play by freshman Erika Livermore (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth Area) gave FDU an 11-point lead. 

The teams combined for only two jump shots in the final seven minutes, leaving the game up to the free-throw line.  The Knights went 7-for-8 from the charity stripe in the final five minutes to maintain the double-digit lead and take the win, 70-60. 

Laury's 28 points led all scorers, while Pankey, Livermore and Isaacs each added nine.  Livermore and senior Esther Wallace (Springfield, MA/Springfield Central) led the team on the boards with six each. 

“St. Francis NY came out and played a tough game against us,” said Head Coach Pete Cinella.  “We had to step it up in the second half, but with an all-around effort on defense we were able to get the win.”

The Knights return to Brooklyn on Monday, Jan. 16 for a 2:00 pm game against LIU Brooklyn.