HACKENSACK, N.J. – The Fairleigh Dickinson women's basketball team used a 26-point third quarter to put distance between them and Kutztown in route to a 77-63 win in Thursday night's exhibition contest.
 
Amina Markovic had a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds and added four assists and four steals. Peniel M'Bikata added 13 points off the bench. The Knights also had five other players score between seven and nine points.
 
"We were very sharp offensively. We have been preaching balance, and we got that tonight," said head coach Peter Cinella. "Kutztown was a good defensive team tonight, but we need to cut down on our turnovers."

The Knights were up six at the halftime intermission; made some adjustments and came out in the second half and shot 62-percent from the field over the third and fourth quarters to move the lead to double digits and keep it there.
 
Fairleigh Dickinson was able to hold Kutztown to 31-percent shooting. The Golden Bears did not shoot higher than 32-percent from the field until the fourth quarter. The Knights made seven steals and rejected five Kutztown shots.

Cinella added, "Amina did some nice things defensively, and Madison Stanley did good things as well. Penny and Elise Graham got after it defensively, and I liked their ball pressure."

The Knights had 20 assists on the night as seven different players had two or more, however, the Knights turned the ball over 21 times. The 20 assists helped the Knights shoot an even 50-percent from the field.
 
"To shot 50% against a good defensive team is a good sign. We know we have some work to do with two weeks before the season starts."
 
Fairleigh Dickinson opens the 2017-18 season on November 10 at home against Rutgers-Newark at 7 p.m. in the Rothman Center.