MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – The Fairleigh Dickinson women's basketball team played a tough first half but could not overcome a deficit at Robert Morris on Saturday afternoon, falling 53-35.
 
The Knights (8-15, 5-7 NEC) battled the NEC-leading Colonials (18-6, 13-0 NEC) by holding the league leaders to just 28 points in the first half and then only 23 points in the second half. FDU, however, was held scoreless by a tough Colonials defense for a five-minute stretch in the third period that helped Robert Morris extend their lead to double digits.
 
Senior Lauren Francillon led the Knights with 11 points and six rebounds in the loss, shooting 5-of-11 from the floor. Freshman Aniya Bell also totaled double-digit points for her fourth straight game, adding 10 points while making 6-of-8 free throw attempts. Freshman Maria Roters made 3-of-4 shots and finished with seven points.
 
"Robert Morris is right now the best team in the conference, and they're a strong team on offense and defense, so we knew it was going to be a battle," head coach Angelika Szumilo said. "I thought our team played really hard. To keep this team to 53 points showed how much emphasis we put on our defense, and unfortunately our shots did not go in. A couple more shots go in and maybe it's a different game."
 
Francillon netted two jumpers to start the game for the Knights, matching Robert Morris' points through the first three minutes. A Roters layup off a Francillon assist later tied the game at six midway through the first period, and a Roters three provided FDU a 9-8 lead.
 
Robert Morris, however, ended the period on a 7-0 run and extended their lead to 19-9 before a three-pointer by freshman Celia Carbonell brought FDU back within seven. Back-to-back Francillon baskets later dropped the margin down to six before RMU ended the half with a jumper to make it 28-20 at the break.
 
The Knights cut the lead further down to six to start the third period when Roters made a layup with 8:50 left in the third, but the Colonials then held FDU without a point over the next five minutes while extending their lead back to double-digits.
 
FDU shot 31 percent from the field and made just 2-of-16 three-point tries but drained 7-of-10 free throws. The Knights recorded nine assists and eight steals as a team, with sophomore Rachael Niles totaling four steals and Carbonell adding three pilfers. FDU also denied the Colonials any three-point makes (0-for-9) in the game.
 
RMU shot 41 percent from the field and made 11-of-16 free throws, and they were led by senior Nneka Ezeigbo who finished with 26 points on 10-of-13 shots and 6-of-10 free throws.
 
The Knights continue their road trip on Monday with a game at Central Connecticut State at 7 p.m., before returning home for Senior Night against LIU on Friday, February 21. Tickets for Friday's Senior Night game can be purchased online in advance at fduknights.com/tickets.