Box Score

HACKENSACK, N.J. -- The Fairleigh Dickinson women's basketball team suffered a tough 76-71 loss to Monmouth in Northeast Conference action Sunday afternoon at Stratis Arena. With the victory, the Hawks improve to 10-12 (7-4 NEC) on the season, while the Knights fall to 9-13 (4-7 NEC) overall.

FDU led 33-26 at halftime after shooting 42.9 percent (12-of-28) from the field and 55.6 percent (5-of-9) from three-point range. The Knights' defense held Monmouth to only 25.7 percent (9-of-35) shooting and scored 16 points off 10 turnovers.

“I am very proud of how we played in the first half,” Head Coach Peter Cinella said. “We were up seven at halftime and did a really good job. I wish we could have been up a little bit more the way we played.”

However, the second half was a different story, as the Hawks outscored FDU, 50-38, thanks to shooting a sizzling 64.3 percent (18-of-28) from the floor, including 4-of-8 from downtown. Monmouth's press also frustrated the Knights, forcing eight turnovers, which led to 11 points.

For the contest, FDU shot 39.7 percent (22-of-58) from the field and 40 percent (8-of-20) from behind the arc. The Hawks ended up shooting 42.9 percent (27-of-63) from the floor and made 7-of-14 from three-point range.

Monmouth also won the rebounding battle, 40-35, and forced the Knights into 20 turnovers, while turning the ball over 16 times. FDU shot 85 percent (17-of-20) from the free throw line, and the Hawks converted 15-of-23 (65.2 percent) from the charity stripe.

The Knights rode the hot shooting of sophomore Stephanie Isaacs (Fair Haven, N.J./Rumson-Fair Haven) and freshman Brianna Thomas (Baldwin, N.Y./St. John the Baptist Diocesan) over the first nine minutes of the first half, as the duo combined for 18 of FDU's first 20 points, to give the home team a 20-6 lead with 11:29 to go before halftime.

After a layup by sophomore Erika Livermore (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth Area) kept the lead at 14, 22-8, Monmouth answered with a 17-3 run over nearly five minutes to tie the game at 25 with 3:50 left in the first half.

FDU responded with an 8-1 spurt to go into halftime with a 33-26 lead. Isaacs finished the first half with 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including 4-of-6 from three-point range, while Thomas added seven points.

A pair of free throws from junior Desiree Crawford (Aurora, Ontario/Cardinal Carter Catholic) to start the second half put the Knights up nine before a 12-0 run by the Hawks gave them a 38-35 lead. Freshman April Coyne (Dundas, Ontario/St. Mary Catholic)'s first career points on a three-pointer from the top of the key tied the game at 38 with 16:09 remaining in the game.

After Monmouth regained the lead, a three-pointer from redshirt junior Danielle Pankey (Middletown, N.J./Middletown South) and a three-point play from Isaacs put the Knights up 44-40.

Still leading by four at 46-42, the Hawks received four straight points from Alysha Womack to tie the game at 46.

With 11:08 left in the game, Livermore made a pair of free throws to give FDU its last lead of the game, 50-48, as Monmouth scored eight unanswered points to take a 56-50 lead with 9:51 to go.

The visitors eventually took their largest lead of the game, 69-60, with 1:53 remaining. However, the Knights were not finished as Crawford stole the inbounds pass, after a pair of free throws from sophomore Amanda Andrades (Virginia Beach, Va./Princess Anne), and found Livermore for a layup to cut the lead to 69-64 with 1:30 left in the contest.

FDU stopped the Hawks on their next possession, but Livermore missed a three-pointer with 58 seconds left.

Isaacs connected on a deep three-pointer with 22 seconds remaining to cut the lead to 73-69, but Monmouth made 5-of-6 free throws over the final 33 seconds to seal 76-71 victory.

Isaacs led the way for the Knights with a career-high 24 points, as she drilled 5-of-10 three's, tying a career high. Livermore added 12 points and game highs of nine rebounds and four blocks. Thomas, who made her first career start, chipped in a career-best 11 points, while Andrades dished out a career-high eight assists.

“Monmouth came out tremendous in the second half, and it seemed like they were scoring every time down the court,” Cinella said. “We have to step up our defense and late-game rebounding and do a better job of taking care of the basketball.”

Womack led the Hawks with 20 points and five assists, while Gabby Singer added 12 points and four assists. Chevannah Paalvast came off the bench to chip in 11 points, while Sara English and Abigail Martin each grabbed eight rebounds.

FDU will return to action on Tuesday, Feb. 12 when it travels to Fairfield, Conn. to take on Sacred Heart at 7 p.m. in conference play.