Box Score HACKENSACK, N.J. - Fairleigh Dickinson held Sacred Heart to 1-of-20 from three-point range but could not overcome 24 turnovers that led to 28 Pioneer points and lost 72-61 on the road.
The Knights (4-12, 1-2 NEC) led for nearly 30 minutes compared to the eight minutes in which the Pioneers (4-10, 2-1) led. Sacred Heart closed the game on a 32-10 run over the last 11:46.
Brianna Thomas (Baldwin, N.Y./St. John the Baptist Diocesan) had a season-high 19 points (6-of-11), including a perfect 3-of-3 from behind the arc, the three three-pointers tied a career-high.
Erika Livermore (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth Area) (13 points and nine rebounds),
Jackie Jackson ( Gaithersburg, Md./ Gaithersburg) (11 and five rebounds) and
Kelsey Cruz (Chester, Va./Lloyd C. Bird) (10) were also in double figures for Fairleigh Dickinson.
The Knights led 16-9 after the first quarter and held a 30-24 lead after two. A three-pointer from Cruz extended the lead to 11, 51-40 at the 1:46 mark of the third quarter, which came capped a 13-2 run after Sacred Heart tied it at 38. Sacred Heart then scored the final six points of the quarter to make it 51-46 Fairleigh Dickinson heading to the final 10 minutes.
Alissa Tarsi led the comeback in the fourth quarter, scoring 10 of her team-leading 18, in the final stanza. Shelby Hickey gave the Pioneers the lead for good on a layup to make it 56-55 with 6:16 to play. Hickey finished with 13.
The Knights got within a point on two occasions but could not tie or take the lead over the final five minutes.
Northeast Conference play continues Fairleigh Dickinson hosts Central Connecticut on Monday at 7 p.m. at the Stratis Arena in the Rothman Center.
