NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – The Fairleigh Dickinson women's basketball team was unable to give Central Connecticut its first Northeast Conference loss and fell 68-49 on the road on Saturday afternoon.
The Knights took a 3-2 lead on a
Brianna Thomas three-pointer but then Central Connecticut scored the next 12 points to take a 14-5 lead and did not let the Knights get any closer in the first half.
Central Connecticut (6-10, 5-0 NEC) led 21-10 after one and 38-19 at halftime. The Blue Devils got 15 first-half points from Andi Lydon. Fairleigh Dickinson (3-13, 1-4 NEC) shot 26-percent (4-of-15) from the field in the first half compared to 42-percent for the first two quarters.
The Knights got it as close as 10 in the third quarter at 42-32. That was the result of a 14-4 run to open the quarter by Fairleigh Dickinson. Thomas had seven of her game-high 20 in the run.
The next six points were scored by Central Connecticut to move the lead back to 48-32 with 3:25 left in the period. Fairleigh Dickinson would hold the Blue Devils scoreless over the final 3:25 and got a bucket from
Madelynn Comly and a free throw
Peniel M'Bikata to make it a 48-35 game heading into the fourth.
In the fourth, Fairleigh Dickinson got it to 12, 50-38, on a free throw from Thomas with 7:23 left. Central Connecticut moved the lead back to 14 on the next possession and worked the lead out to 20 with two minutes to go.
For the game, Central Connecticut shot 43-percent and had a 60-32 advantage on the glass. The Blue Devils were paced by Lydon, who finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Giocelis Reynoso and Kiana Patterson were also in double figures with 13 and 12 points respectively.
Thomas added eight rebounds and four steals to her 20 points.
Kiana Brown had 11 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Comly added 11 points off the bench, she was the lone non-starter to score.
Fairleigh Dickinson returns to action on Monday night at Mount St. Mary's. Game time is set for 7 p.m. in Emmitsburg, Maryland. The game can be watched on NECFrontRow.com.
