HACKENSACK, N.J. – The Fairleigh Dickinson women's basketball team continues a four-game home stand Saturday afternoon with a conference tilt against St. Francis Brooklyn at 2 p.m., in the Rothman Center.
 
The game will be streamed live for free on NEC Front Row, and live stats will be provided at fduknights.com.
 
ENTERING THE KNIGHT
The Knights (5-12, 2-4 NEC) were able to cut a double-digit deficit against Mount St. Mary's down to six points in the fourth quarter of Monday's game, but the Knights could not finish the comeback, falling 63-47. FDU went on a 12-2 run after trailing by 16 heading into the final period, bringing the score to 50-44 with six minutes remaining. Mount, however, held the Knights to three points the rest of the way to hold on for the win. Three players scored in double figures for FDU, led by junior Lauren Francillon with 11 points. Senior Peniel M'Bikata and sophomore Madison Stanley each contributed 10 points. Francillon also blocked a career-high five shots.
 
FRANCE-E-ON A ROLL
Francillon has been averaging a double-double in NEC play this season. She is averaging 15.2 points per game and 10.3 rebounds per game in her last six games, shooting 52 percent from the floor, 57 percent from three-point range and 88.5 percent at the charity stripe. She also has eight blocks in her last six games. Francillon is third in the league with a 82.6 free throw percentage, sixth with 1.1 blocks per game, seventh with 6.6 rebounds per game and 14th with 10.8 points per game. She has two double-doubles in NEC games this season, including 11 points, 11 rebounds in Monday's loss vs. Mount St. Mary's.
 
FREE POINTS
Through 17 games, the Knights lead the Northeast Conference in free throw shooting with a 72.4 percent clip at the line. Eight players are shooting over 70 percent on free throw attempts this season, and the Knights have made over 77 percent of their free throws in NEC games this year. The Knights average 16 free throw attempts per game and have made 15-plus free throws in six games this season, with a high of 21 against Central Connecticut State.
 
DEFENSIVE MINDSET
FDU is second in the NEC in steals per game (9.4) and three-point field goal percentage defense (29.4). Senior Natalie Zamora leads the league in steals per game (2.3), and senior Peniel M'Bikata ranks fourth in the NEC with 1.9 steals per game. Along with Francillon, sophomore Madison Stanley also is inside the top-10 in blocks per game (0.9) in the league, helping the Knights rank third in blocks per game (3.9). FDU is also third in the NEC in turnover margin (+1.3) and points allowed (65.2).
 
500 WINS
On January 12, the Knights made history in their 74-67 victory over Central Connecticut State, reaching 500 all-time wins as a program. The team has played a total of 1,180 games since beginning the program in 1977. Over the previous 501 wins, the Knights have won 216 NEC games.
 
SERIES SCORE
FDU is 48-22 all-time against St. Francis Brooklyn heading into Saturday's game. The two teams split the meetings last year, with the road team winning in each game. The Knights first defeated the Terriers in Brooklyn Heights, 70-62, but St. Francis returned the favor in the Rothman Center later in the season, winning 58-45. Zamora scored a then career-high 18 points in the Knights' road win, and senior Madelynn Comly scored in double figures in both games. FDU is 10-10 against the Terriers in Peter Cinella's tenure and are 23-11 against them in the Rothman Center, but the Terriers have won each of the last two games in New Jersey. FDU's 48 wins against St. Francis Brooklyn are the program's most against any opponent.
 
SCOUTING ST. FRANCIS BROOKLYN
The Terriers (10-8, 4-2 NEC) recently defeated LIU Brooklyn on Monday with the help of 33 points from Jade Johnson to stay in third place in the NEC standings. The Terriers are the NEC's leaders in scoring (75.1 ppg), field goal percentage (44 percent), three-point field goal percentage (41.7 percent) and assists per game (16.2) this season and have six players averaging 8.0-plus points per game. Johnson is averaging 18.7 ppg this season, shooting 45 percent from the field and beyond the arc as well as 90.8 percent from the free throw line. Amy O'Neill leads the NEC and is fourth in the nation with 7.7 assists per game. St. Francis Brooklyn tallied non-conference wins this season over Mercy, Manhattan, Chicago State, Morehead State, Loyola (Md.) and Saint Peter's. The Terriers were selected to finish fifth in the NEC preseason poll.
 
AROUND THE NEC
Sacred Heart and Robert Morris remain unbeaten in NEC play heading into Saturday, while LIU Brooklyn is still in search of its first win. FDU is tied with Mount St. Mary's for seventh place, while three teams are in a tie for fourth with a 3-3 conference record. Sacred Heart goes to western Pennsylvania to take on Saint Francis U on Saturday, while Robert Morris hosts Wagner, one of the 3-3 teams. Other matchups on Saturday include Central Connecticut State at Bryant and LIU Brooklyn traveling to Mount St. Mary's.