HACKENSACK, N.J. - With a trip to the NEC Tournament Final game and the opportunity for a March Madness bid at stake, the #1 Knights were upset by the #7 Bulldogs in a 44-38 decision at Stratis Arena.

The matchup was a tight battle as the teams traded baskets through the first half, competing for a slot in the conference championship game set for Sunday at noon. FDU's Chloe Wilson logged a pair of steals in the first 1:30 of play, setting the tone for her career-high six steal performance. The sophomore from Freeport, N.Y. paced the Knights with a double-double, recording 13 points and 13 rebounds. 

"That's what she's capable of doing almost every night I feel," said head coach Angelika Szumilo on Chloe Wilson. "She's determined, she's driven, she's a go getter."

It was All-NEC Second Team selection Brooke Bjelko who opened scoring for the Bulldogs, going on to lead the team with 12 points, six rebounds and an assist. Bjelko and Mariona Planes Fortuny combined for the team's eight points in the first quarter, to end the period tied with the Knights. 

The teams continued to swap baskets in the second period as Wilson converted her third steal of the game to level the score at 10. The Knights established their first lead off a triple by junior Sierra DeAngelo but could not sustain it, ending the quarter at an 18-point knot with the Bulldogs.

It was Bryant's Nicole Gallagher who forced a gap to account for six of the Bulldogs ten points out of halftime. The freshman from Foxboro, Mass., clipped 11 points in the second half, shooting 66.7 percent from the floor.

"I just like to play my heart out," said Gallagher. "It could've been our last game so I wanted to give it all I had and that's what came out of it." 

The Bulldogs created distance in the final ten minutes of play, forcing the largest lead of the game (38-27) as junior Fatou Jallow drained a triple. 

With 21 seconds remaining of play, NEC Player of the Year Madison Stanley sank a three-point shot to get within one. Bryant shot five-of-six foul shots in the final seconds of the game to drop the NEC Regular Season Champions, 44-38.

"I can't say enough about the growth of this team," said Bryant head coach Mary Burke. "As I said in the last game we were not that good at the beginning of the season, we struggled early on. We put all the pieces together, getting to this point has been a journey."

The Bulldogs will go on to face #3 Mount St. Mary's in Emmitsburg, Md., for the NEC Championship game while the Knights will continue postseason play at the Women's National Invitation Tournament.