HACKENSACK, N.J. – Junior Lauren Francillon set a career high in points with 18 and the Fairleigh Dickinson women's basketball team outscored NJIT 17-3 in the fourth quarter on its way to a 64-43 victory Tuesday night in the Rothman Center.
 
Up 47-40 through three periods, sophomore Madison Stanley scored the first five points of the fourth quarter for the Knights (2-2) before freshman Lindsey Mack drained a long three-pointer from the wing with the shot clock expiring to go up 13 with 5:42 left. The Highlanders (0-5) were then held to just one point in the last six minutes of play as the Knights played tough on defense and controlled the game the rest of the way.
 
Francillon led the Knights with 18 points off the bench, setting a new career high in just 23 minutes. She also grabbed a season-high six rebounds. Senior Peniel M'Bikata also scored in double figures for the Burgundy and Blue, adding 11 points.
 
"I'm very proud of our team tonight," said head coach Peter Cinella after the game. "We just had a very long trip to Colorado and the team showed great energy despite that. I really liked how we defended in that fourth quarter, allowing only three points. The final score wasn't indicative of the game, it was a close game. Madison Stanley hit some really big shots and Lindsey Mack came through with a big three. I like how the full roster of players contributed. The one player who really had a tremendous game was Lauren with her career high in points and showing command of play on defense in the middle."
 
Senior Natalie Zamora helped the Knights gain the early advantage by hitting a three-pointer and later stealing a pass and finishing for a layup to make it 9-4. M'Bikata followed with tough layup going right, and Francillon made a three-pointer to beat the buzzer in providing FDU an 18-10 lead after one period.
 
Junior Courtney Blankenship later put the Knights ahead by double-digits on a layup assisted by senior Lucia Serrano-Ranz, but NJIT proceeded to go on an 11-2 run and cut the deficit down to one point, 26-25. Two Francillon free throws and a M'Bikata triple provided FDU some breathing room with a six-point lead, and the Knights entered halftime up 31-27.
 
The Highlanders stayed with the Knights through the third period, but then it was all Knights from there. Stanley scored five of her seven points to begin the fourth period, and Mack's three-pointer gave the home team a 55-42 lead.
 
Francillon tied her career-high with a jumper to make it 57-42, and she drove for a layup for FDU's next points to record her 18th point.
 
Stanley led the Knights with eight rebounds, while Zamora filled the stat sheet with nine points, four rebounds, three assists and four steals. Senior Madelynn Comly added six points in making her first start of the season.
 
The Knights shot 45.5 percent from the floor and 35.7 percent from beyond the arc while limiting NJIT to a 2-for-12 night from three-point range (16.7 percent). The Knights won the turnover battle, 21-16, and also gathered 35 rebounds to NJIT's 30 boards. FDU recorded 11 steals as well and scored 21 points off Highlander turnovers.

FDU has now won 10 of its last 15 non-conference games, having won those 10 games by an average of over 17 points per game.
 
The Knights return from the Thanksgiving break with another home game Sunday afternoon against Howard. That game starts at 12 p.m. in the Rothman Center.