NEWARK, N.J. – The free throw line was kind to the Fairleigh Dickinson women's basketball team on Thursday night as the Knights scored their final seven points from the stripe to hold off NJIT 74-70. 

Head coach Peter Cinella said postgame, "That was a very tough road win against a never-give-up NJIT team. I liked our start and controlled the tempo along with getting good shots. We did not start the third well, but we made a lot of big shots down the stretch. We took great care of the ball--only 11 turnovers; a lot of credit to Natalie Zamora for that with no turnovers in 39 minutes. Big shot making by [Comly] and [Markoivic] and Lauren had a very solid double-double."

Fairleigh Dickinson (3-0), who is 3-0 for the first time since 1996-97, got four free throws from Madelynn Comly in the final 29 seconds to preserve the win. 

Comly and Amina Markovic finished with 17 points each to pace the offense for the Knights. The two combined to go 13-of-18 from the free throw line. As a team, the Knights were 21-of-33 on the Knight. Markovic grabbed eight rebounds as well before fouling out. 

NJIT (0-3) battled back from a 14-point halftime deficit to cut the lead to a bucket inside the final minute of play. Ellyn Stoll hit a three with six seconds to go to make it 72-70 Fairleigh Dickinson. On the ensuing inbounds play, Comly was able to snake up the sideline and waste five seconds before being fouled and hitting both free throws to make it a four-point game. 

The Highlanders started the third on an 11-0 run to bring it to a 47-43 game with 5:50 left in the third. The Knights responded with a 7-2 run of their own to bring the lead back 10, 55-45. 

The lead grew to as many as 14 in the fourth, 68-54 when Markovic converted an old-fashioned three-point play. That layup from Markovic would be the Knights' last field goal of the game. NJIT chipped away at the lead from there until Stoll's three with six seconds left. 

Fairleigh Dickinson enjoyed a 14-point lead, 47-34, at the halftime intermission. The Knights used runs of 10-0, 6-0 and 7-0 in the first two quarters to build their advantage. As a team, the Knights concluded the first 20 minutes at 62-percent from the floor. 

The 47 points in the first half are the most so far, this season by the Knights. 

Lauren Francillon finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds—career high—for the sophomore's first career double-double. Ten of Francillon's 13 came in the first half. Natalie Zamora was also in double figures for the Knights with 11. Zamora and Kamrin Weimer handed out a team-best four assists. 

Taj Lewis led the Highlanders with a game-high 21 points. 

Fairleigh Dickinson returns home to the Rothman Center on Sunday afternoon for a 2 p.m. for a clash with the Seawolves of Stony Brook. That game can be watched online at necfrontrow.com.