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.

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 a season-best 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.

Junior Danielle Pankey, who returned to action against Monmouth with nine points, shares scoring honors with Livermore, as both are averaging 14.2 points per game to lead FDU. Livermore also leads the team on the glass with 11.7 rebounds per game to go along with her team-best 26 blocked shots. For only the fourth time this season (against Monmouth), Livermore failed to record a double-double and still has 18, which ranks fifth in the country, while her rebounding average is the ninth best in the nation.

The Pioneers (15-7, 7-3 NEC), who were picked to finish second in the Northeast Conference, currently sit all alone in third place after defeating Wagner eight days ago, 76-47, in Staten Island, N.Y. Sacred Heart was scheduled to play at Bryant over the weekend but the contest has been indefinitely postponed because of Winter Storm Nemo.

The Pioneers are led in scoring by sophomore guard Gabby Washington, who averages 15.9 points per game. The preseason All-Northeast Conference selection also averages 4.3 rebounds per game and is shooting a team-best 95 percent (57-of-60) from the free throw line.

Senior guard Kiley Evans adds 11.9 points and 4.2 rebounds per game, while shooting a team-best 37 percent (37-of-99) from three-point range. Senior forward Morgan Merriman leads the team from the field, shooting 47 percent (113-of-237), and in blocked shots (18), to go along with her 11.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.

Junior forward Blair Koniszewski has made a team-high 47 three-pointers (on 140 attempts; 33 percent) and chips in 9.5 points per game, while junior Ericka Norman leads the team with 86 steals and 159 assists (7.2 apg). Junior center Enjoli Bland leads the Pioneers on the glass with 6.3 rebounds per game, to go along with 18 blocked shots.

Sacred Heart is currently rolling right now, winners of six straight in conference action. After starting out 1-3, the Pioneers have won by a margin of 15.3 points in the six victories.

The Knights and the Pioneers will be meeting for the 24th time in the all-time series, which dates back to 1997-98 season. Sacred Heart has won every game in the series but one (22-1). FDU's lone victory was a 64-60 win on Jan. 31, 2002.

Last season, the Pioneers won both meetings, one during the regular season and one during the Northeast Conference Tournament. On Feb. 4, 2012, the Knights lost at home to Sacred Heart, 62-47, before nearly pulling a huge upset at the Pitt Center, falling 62-58 in the quarterfinals of the NEC Tournament on March 3, 2012.

In the quarterfinal contest, FDU trailed by as many as 11 in the first half before rallying to cut the deficit to 31-28 at halftime. In the second half, the Pioneers extend their lead back to seven at 39-32 before the Knights made their move.

A 20-6 run by FDU gave the visitors their largest lead of the game, 52-45, with 5:54 remaining in the contest, but Sacred Heart rallied to tie the contest at 54. The Knights then scored the next four points to take a 58-54 lead with 2:11 left in the game.

However, that was the last points FDU would score as the Pioneers scored the final eight points to seal the victory. Down three, with the ball and a chance to tie the game, the Knights committed a turnover with 15 seconds left, finishing off any chance of pulling the upset.

Mariyah Laury (Orange, NJ/Orange) led the Knights in her final game in an FDU uniform. She scored 15 points, grabbed five rebounds and dished out two assists. Pankey also scored 15 points for the Knights, while Livermore paced the team on the glass with nine rebounds to go along with nine points.

Following Tuesday's contest, FDU will travel to Brooklyn, N.Y. to take on LIU Brooklyn this Saturday, Feb. 16 at 2 p.m. The Blackbirds, who are currently in 11th place in the NEC, defeated the Knights at Stratis Arena, 70-62, on Jan. 21.