HACKENSACK, N.J. – FDU women's basketball (5-2, 0-0) picked up a 67-50 victory over Saint Peter's (0-5, 0-0) at home in Hackensack on Saturday.
Before the game, FDU head coach
Stephanie Gaitley was presented with a commemorative basketball in honor of achieving her 700th career victory back on November 8.
Following the celebratory feelings to start off the game, things quickly got tense, as both the Knights and Peacocks found themselves locked in battle early in the bout. The two teams stood tied at fourteen after the first quarter, and continued to play close in the second. FDU began to pull away for a moment, starting the second quarter off on an 8-0 run. Back-to-back three pointers from
Abby Conklin helped the Knights gain a cushion with five minutes to go in the half.
However, as the minutes started to close, Saint Peter's found some fight, and cut things back down. The Peacocks went on an 8-0 run of their own to tie the game at 24 heading into the final possesion of the first half. Six of the Peacocks' eight points during the run came from senior forward Layla Laws. On the final possesion of the first half,
Staci Williams was fouled and hit a pair of free throws to give FDU a 26-24 lead into the halftime break.
The third quarter is where FDU found their footing in the matchup. The Knights went on an 8-0 run to close out the quarter, and out-scored Saint Peter's 22-14 during the frame. A number of different FDU players hit the stat-sheet in the third to help the Knights pull away. Conklin hit her third three of the afternoon early on in the half, which gave FDU a lead they would not give up for the remainder of the game.
Abaigeal Babore joined Conklin with a make from deep, and
Bella Toomey helped close out the quarter with four points on consecutive possessions.
The Knights would head into the fourth with a 48-38 lead, and cruised to victory from that point onward. Conklin added two more three-pointers in the fourth to put the final bow on the game, and wrap up an FDU home victory.
THE STATS
- It was a breakout performance for Preseason All-NEC Team member Abby Conklin, who led the Knights with 19 points,
- It is the first time this season that Conklin has led FDU in scoring, and just the second time she has reached double figures.
- Conklin made five three-pointers in the win, which is tied for the most by a Knight in a single game this season (Kailee McDonald, 11/10/24).
- Freshman and reigning back-to-back NEC Rookie of the Week Ava Renninger tallied 12 points in the victory.
- Renninger has scored in double figures in all but one of her collegiate contests thus far.
- It was the first game this season in which Renninger did not have a made three-point shot.
- Teneisia Brown led the way on the glass with 11 rebounds, the second time this season she has had double-figures in rebounds.
- Staci Williams led the bench unit for FDU, scoring eight points in just twelve minutes of action.
- Williams converted two of three shots from deep.
- FDU shot a blistering 9-for-17 from deep in the win (52.9%), their best outside shooting performance of the season to date.
- The Knights dominated the rebounding margin by a total of 41 to 29.
- The victory was broadcasted on the YES Network; FDU sports are now 3-0 on the season in games on YES.
WHAT'S NEXT
FDU will take a break during Thanksgiving week. The Knights will next be back in action in the month of December. They will head on the road to Easton, PA to face Lafayette on Dec. 4.
Connect with FDU Women's Basketball on X and Instagram, @FDUKnightsWBB.
Segovia Steakhouse is the presenting sponsor of the 2024-25 FDU Women's Basketball season.
