Box Score HACKENSACK, N.J. - Fairleigh Dickinson had four players in double figures but could not overcome Columbia's free throw shooting and lost 87-83 in overtime. Columbia (10-4) shot 93.3-perceont (28-of-30) from the charity stripe. Fairleigh Dickinson shot 11-of-13 for 84.6-percent from the line.
Erika Livermore (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth Area) led all scorers with 24 points (10-of-22) and added seven rebounds.
Kelsey Cruz (Chester, Va./Lloyd C. Bird) came off the bench to score 18 points in 23 minutes.
Jackie Jackson ( Gaithersburg, Md./ Gaithersburg) had a career-high 12 rebounds and scored 11 to record her first double-double of the season.
Brianna Thomas (Baldwin, N.Y./St. John the Baptist Diocesan) had 12 points, three steals and two assists.
As a team, Fairleigh Dickinson made more field goals (34 to 25), outrebounded (48-42) and had more assists (20-18) and committed less turnovers (15-17) than Columbia on the night.
Madelynn Comly (Littlestown, Pa./Delone Catholic) led the way with seven helpers on the night.
"I was very proud of the team. It was our best game of the season. We out shot and out rebounded a very good Columbia team. The difference came at the free throw with their great shooting", said head coach
Peter Cinella. "We needed to get into a good flow after Bryant, we worked on more mental things."
Fairleigh Dickinson led heading into the fourth quarter-after trailing after both the first and second quarters-and extended the lead to eight, 68-60, with 3:07 to play off a jumper from Thomas. Columbia then scored nine straight to retake the lead with 1:57 to play. Cruz would then hit a turn-around jumper from the right wing then a three to give the Knights a 72-69 lead with 53 seconds to play.
On the ensuing Columbia possession, Alexa Giuliano-six points-hit a three from the right wing with 45 seconds to tie the game at 72. Fairleigh Dickinson called a timeout. After the timeout, Cruz got off a contested three at the horn but it was off target.
In the extra session, the Lions took a three-point lead, 78-75, off a layup by Devon Roeper at 3:42. Two free throws and a jumper from Livermore got the Knights their only lead of the overtime at 80-79 with 1:43 to play. Columbia then took the lead back on the next possession off a jumper from Paulina Korner-five points-and never relinquished it.
The Knights travel to Sacred Heart on Saturday to resume Northeast Conference play. Tip is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Fairfield, Connecticut.
