PISCATAWAY, N.J. – FDU women's basketball (7-3, 0-0) dropped a road contest to Rutgers (6-4, 0-1) Wednesday night by a score of 83-58. The loss snaps a three-game win streak for FDU.
FDU hung around to start off the game, trailing just 25-17 after the first quarter, following an excellent seven-point quarter out of freshman
Ava Renninger. A strong second quarter from Rutgers gave themselves a big cushion heading into halftime, although FDU came out with a bit of fire in the third quarter. They ended the third frame hot, and began to slowly chip into the Rutgers lead. FDU made it as close as a 12-point game after a
Kailee McDonald jumper to open up the final quarter.
It was simply too little too late for the Knights, however, and a short run in the final minutes of the game allowed Rutgers to escape with a 25-point victory.
FDU was unable to overcome an utterly ridiculous performance out of Rutgers freshman Kiyomi McMiller. McMiller entered the game averaging 18.4 PPG for the Scarlet Knights, and upped her average with an outrageous 30-point performance. McMiller shot 12-of-30 from the field in 36 minutes of action to lead the way for Rutgers. She also grabbed 11 rebounds and recorded five assists.
On the Knights side,
Teneisia Brown led the way with ten points, including an efficient six-for-eight night from the charity stripe. FDU also saw a great gutsy performance out of freshman
Kailee McDonald. The Lowell, MA native played 22 minutes off of the bench for head coach
Stephanie Gaitley. She recorded four points, and a whopping 11 rebounds from the guard position.
It was also a stellar night for sophomore
Rebecca Osei-Owusu. The second-year out of Brooklyn, N.Y. tallied a career-high nine points in 21 minutes off of the bench for FDU, the second-most of any Knight.
The loss drops FDU down to 7-3 on the season. The Knights were also unable to capture a sweep against New Jersey programs this season, ending 2-1 against their in-state competition.
THE STATS
- FDU was led in scoring by the reigning NEC/Atlantic Tomorrow's Office Player of the Week Teneisia Brown, who tallied ten.
- Brown also picked up five rebounds in just 23 minutes of game action.
- Kailee McDonald lit up the glass for FDU, grabbing 11 rebounds in the loss.
- McDonald's 11 rebounds ties Teneisia Brown (two separate occasions) for the most by a Knight in a single game this season.
- McDonald also played a season-high 22 minutes off of the bench for head coach Stephanie Gaitley.
- It was a career night for Rebecca Osei-Owusu in several regards
- She scoroed a career-high nine points, which was second amongst all FDU players in the contest.
- Osei-Owusu also saw a career-high 21 minutes of game action.
- Abaigeal Babore remains absolutely stellar at the free-throw line for FDU this season.
- Babore went a perfect 8-8 in the loss.
- Babore has missed just one free throw to date this season, going 37-for-38 from the stripe (97.4%)
- FDU hung close in the glass battle with Rutgers, being out-rebounded 29 to 27.
WHAT'S NEXT
FDU will be back in action on Thursday, December 19. They will play host to Saint Michael's at home in the Bogota Savings Bank Center in Hackensack. Tip-off will be at 1:00 p.m.
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.
