HACKENSACK, N.J. – Coming off a big win in its season opener, the Fairleigh Dickinson women's basketball team gets set to take on Lafayette Friday night at 7 p.m., in the Rothman Center.
 
The game will be streamed live on NEC Front Row and live stats will be available at fduknights.com for fans that cannot attend the game.
 
ENTERING THE KNIGHT
The Knights (1-0) defeated Rutgers-Newark, 97-51, in its season opener Tuesday, the program's largest margin of victory in an opener since 1979. FDU reached 90-plus points for the first time since 2002 and shot 51.4 percent from the floor while forcing 31 turnovers and gathering 21 steals and 21 assists. Four Knights scored in double-figures, and all 13 players scored at least two points in the victory.
 
DAZZLING DEBUT
Five players made their Knights debuts on Tuesday. Freshman Makayla Thompson led the team with 14 points and six steals, recording the most points by a Knight freshman in their collegiate debut since 2006. Junior Charee Osborne gathered a team-high seven rebounds in her first game with the Knights. Freshman Rachael Niles started at point guard and finished with five points and two assists, while fellow freshman Lindsey Mack hit three triples in scoring nine points in 22 minutes. Freshman Madeline Selvaggi made both of her field goals and finished with six points while adding three assists and three steals.
 
RETURNING STARS
Sophomore Madison Stanley made her second career start in the opener and shined with 10 points, five rebounds and three blocks, all career-highs. Seniors Peniel M'Bikata and Madelynn Comly each scored in double-figures, with M'Bikata adding 13 points and Comly chipping in 10. Junior Elise Graham set a career-high with six rebounds to go with eight points, and senior Natalie Zamora scored eight points in the first period.
 
MARCH TO 500
With the win Tuesday, Fairleigh Dickinson is now only three wins away (497) from reaching the 500th in program history. The Knights are on pace with a 4-0 start to achieve the landmark victory on Tuesday, November 20, against NJIT in the Rothman Center.
 
SERIES SCORE
Lafayette leads the all-time series with FDU, 7-5, in a matchup that has not been played since 2010. The Leopards won the last time these two teams met, 51-37, in Easton, Pennsylvania, but the Knights were the victors the last time these two squads played in Hackensack (69-39 in 2009).
 
SCOUTING LAFAYETTE
Friday night serves as Lafayette's season opener. The Leopards are coming off a 11-19 campaign last season, finishing eighth in the Patriot League with a 6-12 conference record. The Leopards last year averaged 55.5 points per game and allowed 60.2 points per game to opponents while shooting .378 from the floor and .351 from beyond the arc. Lafayette returns three starters from last season, including their leading scorer and rebounder in sophomore Natalie Kucowski, who averaged a double-double with 10.9 ppg and 10.3 rpg and earned Patriot League All-Rookie honors. Sophomore Drew Freeland also received Patriot League All-Rookie honors last season, starting all 30 games and averaged 7.2 ppg. Lafayette was tabbed eighth in the Patriot League preseason poll.
 
AROUND THE NORTHEAST CONFERENCE
The Knights were one of four NEC teams to win its opener on Tuesday, with Bryant's win over UMass Lowell representing the only victory against a Division I opponent. All 10 teams began their season Tuesday, and FDU is one of four scheduled to play Friday night. LIU Brooklyn hosts Army West Point, while Mount St. Mary's travels to play Big-Ten opponent Michigan and Wagner faces NYC rival Fordham in the Bronx.