Box Score

HACKENSACK, N.J. -- The Fairleigh Dickinson women's basketball team used a 16-0 late second-half run to defeat NJIT, 67-58, Wednesday night at Stratis Arena. With the victory, the Knights improve to 2-5 on the season, while the Highlanders fall to 4-5 overall.
 
Sophomore Erika Livermore (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth Area) led the way with 21 points and a career-high 17 rebounds on 9-of-14 shooting from the field. The 6-1 southpaw grabbed 10 offensive rebounds as she scored on a variety of layups and put backs.
 
Despite a poor shooting night from the floor, redshirt junior Danielle Pankey (Middletown, N.J./Middletown South) tied a season high with 18 points by going 13-of-16 from the free throw line to set new career bests in makes and attempts, while junior Desiree Crawford (Aurora, Ontario/Cardinal Carter Catholic) chipped in season highs of 10 points and eight rebounds
 
The Knights found themselves down by nine on five different occasions in the first half before rallying to take a pair of one-point leads. Down 19-10, FDU scored nine unanswered to tie the game at 19 as a pair of Livermore layups bookended the run.
 
After NJIT regained a three-point lead, the Knights scored four straight to take their first lead of the game at 23-22.
 
The lead would change three more times in the half before the Highlanders went into the break up 29-28.
 
Early turnovers in the half by FDU allowed NJIT to grab the early lead as the home team ended up with nine turnovers over the first 20 minutes to the Highlanders' seven. FDU shot only 34.5 percent (10-of-29), including 1-of-7 from three-point range, but managed to drill 7-of-8 free throws.
 
NJIT shot 36.7 percent (11-of-30) from the field in the first half and made 3-of-9 from behind the arc and found itself ahead despite being outrebounded by the Knights 22-17.
 
To start the second half, six lead changes and one tie occurred before five straight points by Livermore gave FDU a 39-35 lead with 16:52 remaining in the game.
 
A pair of free throws from Pankey gave the Knights a 42-37 lead before an 8-2 spurt by the Highlanders gave them a 45-44 lead with 10:15 to go.
 
After a pair of ties, NJIT's Sarah Olson, who scored a game-high 24 points, knocked down one of her six three's on the night to give the visitors their last lead of the contest, 50-47, with 7:18 remaining.
 
With the shot clock about to hit zero, sophomore Mariah Nunes (Ajax, Ontario/Bill Crothers ) drove to the basket and converted a left-handed layup, which triggered the 16-0 run over the next five minutes and 16 seconds. A three-pointer by Pankey from the right corner with 5:57 left in the game gave FDU the lead for good at 52-50.
 
Nunes' basket capped the run and gave the Knights their largest lead of the contest, 63-50, with 1:28 to go in the game and allowed FDU to cruise to the 67-58 victory.
 
“NJIT is a well-coached, feisty team,” Head Coach Peter Cinella said. “They took the lead with a little over seven minutes to go and our team really stepped up and responded. There were huge plays by Mariah Nunes (Ajax, Ontario/Bill Crothers ) and Danielle Pankey (Middletown, N.J./Middletown South) and a great defensive effort in the second half by Desiree Crawford (Aurora, Ontario/Cardinal Carter Catholic). Amanda Andrades (Virginia Beach, Va./Princess Anne) ran the point and the fast break much better in the second half, and Erika Livermore (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth Area) was dominant on the boards.”
 
The difference in the game came on the glass and the free throw line as the Knights outrebounded the Highlanders, 50-36, and made 12 more free throws. FDU made 19-of-26 from the charity stripe, while NJIT converted 7-of-8.
 
The Knights shot better in the second half and finished the game 23-of-63 (36.5 percent) from the field but made only 2-of-11 from long range. The Highlanders shot 34.4 percent (22-of-64) and drilled 7-of-18 from three-point distance.
 
Rayven Johnson added 14 points for NJIT but only two after halftime. She also pulled down a team-high 12 rebounds. Uju Nwankwo chipped in 11 points and eight rebounds.
 
FDU will return to action on Saturday, Dec. 8 when they travel to Jersey City, N.J. to take on in-state rival Saint Peter's. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.