Box Score

RIVERDALE, N.Y. – Sophomore Erika Livermore (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth Area) tallied 16 points to go with a team-high 11 rebounds to help the Fairleigh Dickinson women's basketball team secure its first win of the season by a final score of 53-47 over Manhattan on Sunday afternoon at Draddy Gymnasium. The Knights move to 1-4 in 2012-13, while the Jaspers slide to 1-3.
 
Livermore's fourth double-double of the season as well as 16 points from redshirt junior Danielle Pankey (Middletown, N.J./Middletown South) led the way as FDU had its first halftime lead of the season and out-rebounded its opponent for the first time.
 
The Knights took the lead at 9-8 just under five minutes into the game on Pankey's 3-pointer, a lead they would not give up the rest of the way. FDU looked inside early and often with 10 points from Livermore in the first 7:15 of the game.
 
With the Knights holding a 13-10 lead, FDU went on an 8-0 run capped by a 3-pointer from sophomore Tiffany Grant (Odenton, Md./Arundel) for its biggest lead of the game at 22-10. Grant finished with a career-high five points on the day.
 
FDU took a 30-22 advantage into the locker room after shooting 56.5 percent from the field in the first half on 13-of-23 shooting, while holding Manhattan to a 34.6 percent mark on 9-of-26.  The Knights also held a 14-13 rebounding edge in the first 20 minutes.
 
The Jaspers would cut into FDU's lead and trailed by just four at 35-31 with 15:15 left on the second half clock. The Knights responded by distancing themselves from the home side with a 43-34 edge on a Pankey three with just under nine minutes to go.
 
Manhattan closed to within two points at 45-43 with 2:26 remaining, but that was as close as the Jaspers would get. A Pankey free throw followed by a layup from sophomore Amanda Andrades (Virginia Beach, Va./Princess Anne) put FDU up 48-43 with less than a minute to go. The Knights hit their free throws down the stretch to close out their 53-47 victory.
 
“This was a huge road win to lead start to finish against a very well-coached Manhattan team,” Head Coach Peter Cinella said. “I thought the key to today's game was how well we took care of the ball against that unique 1-3-1 zone and how we got key defensive stops when needed. It was great to outrebound an opponent, however, that is still an area we need to improve on.”
 
FDU held a 34-33 rebounding edge including a 12-10 advantage on the offensive glass. For the third game in a row FDU turned the ball over fewer times than an opponent with 15 turnovers to Manhattan's 16.
 
The Knights will head to the Bryce Jordan Center in University Park, Pa. to matchup with No. 6/7 Penn State on Sunday, Dec. 2 at 2 p.m.