Box Score HACKENSACK, N.J. -
Kelsey Cruz (Chester, Va./Lloyd C. Bird) scored a career-high 41 points (15-of-24) but it was not enough for Fairleigh Dickinson to open the 2015-16 season with a win. The Knights fell to the visiting Jaspers 85-78.
Fairleigh Dickinson (0-1) tried to erase a 15-point fourth quarter deficit but came up short, losing to the Manhattan (1-0) at Stratis Arena on Saturday afternoon.
"Manhattan played a great game, they came out with two strong runs. I was very impressed with a lot of things we did today. ObviouslyCruz was great and
Erika Livermore (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth Area) did great job with the double-double and we had some freshman play well in their first college game", said head coach
Peter Cinella postgame. "Now we have some things to work and we will get there."
Cruz led all scorers with 41 and
Erika Livermore (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth Area) added 18 points (6-of-20) and grabbed 11 rebounds for her 44th career double-double. No other Knight scored more than six points on the afternoon. Manhattan was led by Amani Tatum with 18. Three other Jaspers were in double figures.
"She had 41 and we almost expect something like that and she was tremendous, getting in the seams and hitting all of her shots", said Cinella.
Cruz said postgame, "I was aggressive today, able to get to the basket and did not rely on my jump shot like I have done in seasons past."
Fairleigh Dickinson led by as many as 12 in the second quarter and led at the half by seven, 45-38. Manhattan then outscored the Knights 27-7 in the third quarter to take a 65-52 led into the fourth quarter.
During the third, the Jaspers used a 9-3 run to erase the Knight lead and used a 13-0 run over the final 4:24 of the quarter to gain a 13-point advantage.
Manhattan made it 15-0 run with their first basket of the fourth quarter and then the Knights started chipping away. Two Cruz free throws with 1:49 to left in the game got the Knights to within one at 77-76. Tatum then came down and hit a three to extend the Jasper lead to four and Fairleigh Dickinson would get no closer.
Cruz's 41 was one off the program record of 42, held by Mariyah Lowry against Monmouth on February 11, 2012.
Up next for the Knights is the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Women's Challenge in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The Knights will play North Carolina, Yale and Iona down there, starting with the Tar Heels on November 20.
