Box Score

UNCASVILLE, Conn. - Seniors Kelsey Cruz (Chester, Va./Lloyd C. Bird) and Erika Livermore (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth Area) scored 17 of Fairleigh Dickinson's 22 fourth-quarter points to help Fairleigh Dickinson secure a 74-68 win over Grand Canyon at Mohegan Sun as part of the 2015 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Women's Challenge.

Brianna Thomas (Baldwin, N.Y./St. John the Baptist Diocesan) had 16 points, including two free throws down the stretch and eight rebounds for Fairleigh Dickinson (1-4). Cheyenne Hedington, of Grand Canyon (2-5) had 26 points to lead all scorers.

An Alyx Bloom three-pointer cut the Knight lead to one at 63-62 with 3:51 to play in the game. The Knights then outscored the 'Lopes 11-6 from there including 7-of-8 from the free throw line. Livermore scored six of those 11 for the Knights.

Madelynn Comly (Littlestown, Pa./Delone Catholic), Thomas and Livermore all hit free throws in the closing minutes of the game. Comly has six points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals. Livermore finished with 21 points, six rebounds, three blocks and two steals. Cruz led the Knights with 23 points.

"It was an overall very good team effort on the defensive end. Erika had her best game of the season, Kelsey hit tough shots and Brianna came up big", said head coach Peter Cinella postgame.

"Good to see an overall effort from Madelynn and the team showed grit and toughness down the stretch to close the game out."

For the game, the Knights shot 50-percent from the field and only missed two of 17 free throw attempts to get their first win of the season. Fairleigh Dickinson held a 15 rebound advantage on the glass.

Grand Canyon shot 44-percent from the field but were 3-of-17 from behind the three-point line.

Up next for Fairleigh Dickinson is a road trip to Bucknell and West Virginia next weekend. The Knights face Bucknell on Friday and West Virginia on Sunday.