HACKENSACK, N.J. - A quartet of Knights scored in double figures to give the Fairleigh Dickinson women's basketball team its third straight win with a 77-64 triumph over Central Connecticut. 

Courtney Blankenship had a career-high 16 points, and Amina Markovic had a double-double -- 17 points and 14 rebounds (career-high). Madelynn Comly added 14 points, and Kiana Brown tallied 12 points off the bench. 

"Courtney has been playing well, said Peter Cinella. "The one thing that was behind was her scoring. We knew she could score and she was in command when she had the ball tonight."

It is the first time that Fairleigh Dickinson (8-17, 6-8 NEC) has won three straight Northeast Conference games since winning four straight back in the 2010-11 season. 

The Knights shot a season-high 48-percent from the floor overall and 51-percent in the second half. Fairleigh Dickinson was also plus-10 in free throws and plus-six on the glass. Central Connecticut was plus-28 in the first meeting this season. Fairleigh Dickinson also finished with 14 assists. 

Central Connecticut (9-16, 8-6 NEC) led for the first 1:22 of the game but Blankenship got the Knights ahead 4-3, and the Knights never looked back. The bucket from Blankenship started an 11-0 run by the Knights over the next two minutes to take an 11-3 lead. 

"I felt we were in control of this game," said Cinella post game. "Every time Central Connecticut would cut it down we would hit a big three. Our two starting posts played very well. Courtney had a career-high and Amina played one of her best games."

"[Madelynn] has been consistent during this stretch. I was concerned defensively with getting stops while CCSU was in scramble mode at the end." 

The Knights, who led 18-12 after one, built the lead out to 10 early on in the second on a layup from Lauren Francillon. The Blue Devils, though, would battle to make it a two-point game at the halftime intermission, 27-25, on a bucket from Cebria Outlow. 

Fairleigh Dickinson stretched the lead to 13 in the third, 41-28, after a 10-0 run that lasted over three minutes. Brown hit a three, Markovic hit a layup and a free throw, Blankenship capitalized on a feed from Comly, who capped the run with a pair of free throws. 

Central Connecticut would get the game back to single digits at the close of the third, 49-40, but Fairleigh Dickinson would get the lead back to double digits on the first possession of the fourth. Francillon scored the final two points of her eight to make it 51-40. The Blue Devils were unable to get the Knights' lead under 10 points for the remaining nine-plus minutes. The lead got to as many as 18 in the fourth, 69-51 when Markovic scored with 2:02 left. 

The win over Central Connecticut also snaps a seven-game losing streak for Fairleigh Dickinson. 

Markovic tied a career high with four blocks to go along with her fourth double-double of the season. Brown had four assists to add to her 12 points. Francillon also grabbed five rebounds in 14 minutes, and Rainey Cox only scored a point but grabbed eight rebounds and had two assists.  

Kiana Patterson led the Blue Devils with 18 points and six assists. Taylor Goode was also in double figures with 10 points. 

Cinella added, "We have won five of the last eight; we are playing well. I think we are ready for Mount. They, like Central Connecticut, who beat us by double digits. So, we are getting better." 

Fairleigh Dickinson plays its final regular season home game on Saturday against the Mountaineers of Mount St. Mary's. Tip is set for 2 p.m. The Knights' three seniors will be honored prior to tip.