Box Score

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- The Fairleigh Dickinson women's basketball team defeated Binghamton, 54-41, Sunday afternoon to conclude the Lehigh Christmas City Classic at Stabler Arena. With the victory, the Knights improve to 5-6 on the season, while the Bearcats fall to 1-12 overall.

Redshirt junior Danielle Pankey (Middletown, N.J./Middletown South) led the way with a game-high 19 points, knocking down 9-of-13 from the free throw line and grabbing eight rebounds. Sophomore Erika Livermore (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth Area) added 12 points and a team-best 11 rebounds for her eighth double-double of the season and tied a career high in steals with three.

Sophomore Miah Register (Trenton, N.J./Trenton Catholic), playing in only her second game of the season, came off the bench to chip in eight points, three rebounds, three assists and a career-high four steals, while fellow classmate Amanda Andrades (Virginia Beach, Va./Princess Anne) tied her season high in assists with five and grabbed five rebounds.

FDU used a 22-6 run over 10:03 stretch in the first half to take a 28-16 lead with 2:03 remaining before halftime and controlled the rest of the game.

The Knights took a quick 4-0 lead on a pair of baskets from freshman Kelsey Cruz (Chester, Va./Lloyd C. Bird) and Livermore before the Bearcats answered with a 10-2 run to take a 10-6 lead with 12:56 to go in the half.

Livermore found sophomore Stephanie Isaacs (Fair Haven, N.J./Rumson-Fair Haven) in transition for a three-pointer, and five consecutive free throws from Pankey gave FDU eight unanswered points for a 14-10 lead at the 9:51 mark of the opening half.

After Binghamton cut the lead to two on three different occasions, the Knights scored 10 straight points near the end of the half and Pankey's baseline jumper capped the 22-6 run, giving FDU its largest lead of the half at 28-16, with 2:03 to go before halftime.

The Bearcats would score the final five points of the half, which gave FDU a 28-21 halftime lead.

Both sides did not shoot particularly well, and the Knights were outrebounded, 27-23, over the first 20 minutes. FDU, however, forced 13 turnovers, with eight steals, and scored 15 points off turnovers, including 11 on the fast break and outscored Binghamton, 16-4, in the paint for the difference in the first half.

The game was never in doubt for the Knights in the second half. After Binghamton cut the lead to 35-27, with 11:50 remaining in the contest, FDU scored seven unanswered points as Register's 19-foot jumper on the fast break gave the Knights a 42-27 lead.

FDU took its largest lead of the game, 46-29, with 7:10 to go as Andrades dished to Register for a fast break layup, which sealed the Knights' 54-41 victory as the Bearcats never got closer than 10 points.

The Knights finished the game shooting 33.9 percent (20-of-59) and made only 3-of-14 from three-point range and 11-of-17 free throws. They allowed Binghamton to shoot only 21 percent (13-of-62), including 16.7 percent (5-of-30) in the second half, en route to allowing a season-low 41 points.

FDU grabbed 50 rebounds for the third time this season after outrebounding the Bearcats, 50-45, and scored 22 points off 20 turnovers. The Knights were also good in transition, scoring 17 fast-break points, and held a 28-8 advantage in points in the paint.

“This was one of our better overall defensive efforts,” Head Coach Peter Cinella said. “We also received very good contributions from a lot of different people. We did a good job of getting the ball inside, attacking the basket and getting to the foul line. Our fast break was the best it has been all year, but we have to keep improving it.”

Sharae Swinson and Mallory Lawes each scored nine points to lead the Bearcats. Jasbriell Swain pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds, dished out five assists and recorded three steals.

FDU will return to action on Saturday, Jan. 5 when it opens up Northeast Conference play at Wagner. Tipoff in Staten Island, N.Y. is scheduled for 1 p.m.