NEWARK, N.J. –A strong defensive effort in the fourth quarter and nine points from Brianna Thomas in the final period completed the comeback for Fairleigh Dickinson against NJIT, 66-61, on Monday night.

The Knights closed the game on a 9-2 run over the last 5:13.

"I am very proud of the team to find a way to lock down defensively in the fourth quarter and finding the open man in the second half," said head coach Peter Cinella post game. "Brianna Thomas once again willed herself to some tough shots and hit the glass. [I was] very impressed with how Madelynn Comly led the team in some chaotic spots. Both Natalie Zamora and Lauren Francillon had nice all-around games."

Cinella added, "We got tough in the fourth quarter. They scored on a lot of broken plays in the first three quarters and in the fourth quarter we got tough in the last four minutes."
 
Thomas finished the night 21 points and 10 rebounds for her third double-double of her career. Lauren Francillon and Madelynn Comly were also in double figures for the Knights with 13 and 11 points respectively.
 
NJIT(2-2) led for 28 minutes on the night and Fairleigh Dickinson (2-1) did not take the lead for good until 2:42 left on a Thomas three to make the score 62-59.
 
Defensively in the fourth, the Knight held the Highlanders to only 11 points on 35-percent shooting. The Knights did not shoot as well from the field -- 31-percent -- but got to the free-throw line nine times and made seven of those.

At the halftime break, the Highlanders had a five-point lead – 34-29 – after getting 15 points from its bench in the opening two quarters. The Knights were 1-of-8 from the behind the arc compared to the Highlanders' 3-of-6 clip from long range.

Comly did a majority of her scoring in the third quarter, where she hit three three-pointers for nine points, including back-to-back threes to open the scoring in the second half. Peniel M'Bikata added five points in the quarter, including a jumper that beat the buzzer to get the Knights within four, 50-46.

In the final period, the Knights got it to 50-48 after two free throws from M'Bikata, who finished with seven points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals. The Knights got the game level at 57 before NJIT got back in front on a Laura Horton layup with 5:13 to go. Thomas then drove to the basket for two and then hit a three from the left wing on the ensuing possession to give the Knights a three-point lead, which they would not surrender.

Alana Dudley led the Highlanders with 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Horton finished with 14 points and seven rebounds. 

The win was the second straight non-conference win for the Knights, which had not happened since the 2014-15 season against Army and Saint Peter's. The Knights are also 2-1 for the first time since the 2010-11 season.

It is a quick turnaround for the Knights, as they host Queens College on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. in the Rothman Center.