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HACKENSACK, N.J. -- The Fairleigh Dickinson women's basketball team will look for payback on Sunday when it hosts Garden State rival Monmouth, with tipoff scheduled for Noon at Stratis Arena, and the men's game between the two rivals following at 2:30 p.m. On Jan. 28, the Knights were defeated by the Hawks, 61-53, in West Long Branch, N.J.
 
The Knights (9-12, 4-6 NEC) are coming off a 66-53 loss to Bryant at home last Monday and are now in a three-way tie for eighth place in the NEC.
 
Poor shooting in the first half doomed FDU in the contest, as it connected on only 6-of-31 shots (19.4 percent), which allowed Bryant to lead 29-16 at the half. The Bulldogs shot only 33.3 percent (11-of-33) over the first 20 minutes but made four three's, compared to the Knights' one.
 
For the game, FDU shot 26.4 percent (19-of-72) and made only six of its 24 three-point attempts. Bryant shot 35.3 percent (22-of-62) and made 7-of-21 from downtown. Both sides also struggled from the free throw line, as the Knights made only 9-of-19 (47.4 percent), while the Bulldogs made only 15-of-26 (57.7 percent) from the charity stripe.
 
FDU won the rebounding battle, 54-51, establishing a new season high. The Knights also tied a season low in turnovers with 14 and tied a season high in blocks with nine.
 
Sophomore Erika Livermore (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth Area) led the Knights with 17 points, 17 rebounds, five blocked shots, which tied a career high, and two steals, giving her 18 double-doubles on the season. Fellow classmate Stephanie Isaacs (Fair Haven, N.J./Rumson-Fair Haven) added 12 points, all in the second half, on four three-pointers.
 
Freshman Brianna Thomas (Baldwin, N.Y./St. John the Baptist Diocesan) chipped in career highs of eight points and eight rebounds off the bench, while sophomore Amanda Andrades (Virginia Beach, Va./Princess Anne) tied a career high with six assists and grabbed a career-best seven rebounds. Freshman Kelsey Cruz (Chester, Va./Lloyd C. Bird) also scored eight points.
 
Bryant started the game on a 12-2 run and held a double-digit lead most of the first half, as the closest FDU came was at 12-7 after Cruz's trey ball with 13:51 to go before halftime.
 
The Knights opened the second half on a 10-2 run, with Isaacs knocking down a pair of three's to cut the lead to 31-26, forcing the Bulldogs to call a 30-second timeout at the 17:13 mark.
 
However, Bryant responded with 16 unanswered points to take its largest lead of the game, 47-26, with 13:45 remaining in the contest.
 
A layup by Livermore cut the lead to 62-51 with 1:19 left in the game, but it was the closest FDU came, as the Bulldogs cruised to the 66-53 victory.

Junior Danielle Pankey, who has not played the last two contests, leads FDU in scoring, averaging 14.4 points per game. Livermore is averaging 14.3 points and a team-high 11.9 rebounds per game, while shooting a team-best 44.9 percent (111-of-247) from the field. She has recorded 18 double-doubles in 21 games this season, which is tied for second in the country. Her rebounding average is tied for eighth best in the nation.

Monmouth (9-12, 6-4 NEC), who was picked to finish third in the Northeast Conference, currently sits all alone in fourth place after defeating Central Connecticut State at home last Monday, 69-63.
 
The Hawks are led in scoring by senior guard Alysha Womack, who averages 14.0 points per game, and was named  a preseason All-Northeast Conference selection. Redshirt junior forward Chevanna Paalvast, who has missed the last two games, adds 11.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.
 
Senior forward Abigail Martin leads the team with 5.6 rebounds per game, to go along with 6.8 points per game, while senior guard Gabby Singer leads the squad with 62 assists and 34 steals. Senior guard Carly Thibault shoots 41.2 percent (40-of-97) from three-point range and chips in 8.4 points per game.
 
The Knights and the Hawks will be meeting for the 72nd time in the all-time series, which dates back to 1977. Monmouth holds a 48-23 advantage, while FDU have gone 3-8 under Head Coach Peter Cinella, including one win at Stratis Arena.
 
In the first meeting this season, Livermore recorded her 16th double-double of the season, scoring a team-high 13 points and collecting a game-high 11 rebounds, while swatting away a career-best five shots and recording two steals. Andrades added a season-high 10 points and tied her career highs in assists (6) and steals (4).
 
Sophomore Tiffany Grant (Odenton, Md./Arundel) and Isaacs each scored nine points, a career best for Grant, while junior Desiree Crawford (Aurora, Ontario/Cardinal Carter Catholic) chipped in eight points and eight rebounds.
 
Early in the first half, a put-back layup by Isaacs put FDU up 7-6 before 10 unanswered points by the Hawks gave the home team a 16-7 advantage with 10:39 remaining in the first half.
 
The Knights responded with a 10-2 spurt as Livermore's 19-foot jumper cut the deficit to 18-17, but Monmouth would then close the half on an 8-1 run to go into halftime with a 26-18 lead.
 
FDU shot only 19.4 percent (6-of-31) over the first 20 minutes, while the Hawks connected on 9-of-26 shots (34.6 percent), including 3-of-7 from three-point range.
 
Four straight points by Monmouth to start the second half established its largest lead of the game at 30-18 before the Knights scored eight in a row to cut the deficit to 30-26, forcing a 30 second timeout by the Hawks with 17:10 to go in the contest.
 
Monmouth regrouped and eventually extended the lead back out to nine, 41-32, before a 13-3 run, capped by an Isaacs' three from the left wing, gave FDU a 45-44 lead with 6:26 remaining in the game.
 
The Hawks scored the next four points and led 48-45 at the 5:32 mark. Neither side scored over the next 2:42, as the Knights committed two turnovers, missed one shot and the front end of a one-and one during the stretch.
 
Monmouth then extended its lead to six and never looked back, ending the game on a 17-8 run to earn the 61-53 victory.
 
FDU shot very well in the second half (44.8 percent) to finish the game shooting 31.7 percent (19-of-60). The Hawks also shot well over the final 20 minutes (46.2 percent) and ended the contest at 40.4 percent (21-of-52). The Knights made 2-of-8 from behind the arc, while Monmouth connected on 4-of-10.
 
At the free throw line, FDU sank 13-of-17, and the Hawks converted 15-of-21, including 7-of-8 by Gabby Singer over the final 56 seconds. Both sides grabbed 39 rebounds and combined for 16 blocks, with the Knights recording a season-high nine. FDU also forced 18 turnovers, with 12 steals, while giving the ball up 16 times.
 
Singer led three Hawks in double-figures with 15 points, five rebounds, four assists and four steals. Paalvast added 14 points, five rebounds and four blocks, while Sara English came off the bench and chipped in 12 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks.
 
Following Sunday's contest, the Knights will travel to Fairfield, Conn. to take on second-place Sacred Heart on Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 7 p.m.