HACKENSACK, N.J.- Behind a career-high 23 points from
Lilly Parke, FDU defeated Saint Francis U by a score of 64-54 at Stratis Arena on Monday afternoon. The Knights are now an even .500 (2-2) in the NEC and are 4-13 overall.
FDU shot 50% from the floor, which is their best mark of the season. Continuing this trend of improved offense, the Knights had three scorers in double-figures for the third-straight game.
Both teams came out firing on the offensive end as 16 total points were scored in the first 2:46 of play. Back-and-forth scoring continued as
Abaigeal Babore scooped home a layup that gave the Knights a 13-12 lead with 3:40 in the first period. This would prove to be the last lead change of the contest as FDU surged ahead from there.
Thanks to 23 first half points from Parke, the Knights secured a 14-point lead by halftime. The three-point line served as a welcome sight for Parke as she knocked down five triples in the first 20-minutes. The sophomore forward poured in four additional field goals on her way to a career-best scoring output. Despite being held scoreless in the second-half, Parke continued to be a presence and put the finishing touches on a five-rebound performance in the final 20.
Defense helped a physical FDU group create separation. The Red Flash connected on 58.3% of their attempts in the first quarter, but were absolutely stifled by Gaitley's bunch in the second frame. The Red Flash went 1-10 from the field and were only able to produce seven points in a detrimental second quarter that they could not recover from.
After
Abby Conklin opened up the second half with a three, the Knights lead sat at 17. However, shot-making and defense spurred a Red Flash 17-7 run and cut the FDU lead down to seven at the end of three.
Despite the Red Flash push, FDU's steady offense in the fourth quarter helped the Knights put the game away. They made over 50 percent of their shots in the final 10-minutes and went 7-8 from the free-throw line as they closed out their second-straight win at Stratis Arena.
What's Next
FDU will get a chance to avenge last weekend's loss at Stonehill when the Skyhawks come to Hackensack for a Friday night primetime battle at Stratis Arena. The game is marked for a 7 p.m. start and will air on NEC Front Row. FDU will look to remain undefeated on their home floor in 2024.
Connect with FDU women's basketball on X and Instagram, @FDUKnightsWBB.
