HACKENSACK, N.J. – FDU women's basketball (27-3, 16-0) took down LIU (6-24, 3-13) on Monday night by a score of 73-44 in the NEC Quarterfinal.
The Knights got some massive firepower from the jump. Teneisia Brown came out with a spark to begin the game, absolutely dominating the Sharks in the early stages. Brown scored 14 points in the first quarter alone, and accounted for 14 of the Knights' 19 first quarter points.
Brown's efforts helped the Knights immediately control momentum of the game. LIU hit some shots early, and even led 8-6 at the six minute mark of the first quarter. That would be the last lead LIU would hold in the game.
The Knights controlled a steady lead into the second half, albeit with some slight pressure from the Sharks. LIU was able to cut the Knight lead to single digits in the third quarter, trailing just 38-30 at the six minute mark. From that point on, the Knights flipped a switch.
FDU embarked on a monstrous 26-1 run spanning across the third and fourth quarters, and found themselves up by as much as 33 in the late stages. FDU coasted to victory from that point.
Speaking on the win, FDU head coach Stephanie Gaitley said, "We clearly wanted to send a message...we felt Tee [Brown] should have been Player of the Year. I think obviously she played that way tonight."
Brown was named the NEC's Defensive Player of the Year, as well as being named to the All-NEC First Team and NEC All-Defensive team earlier in the afternoon on Monday. Brown spoke on her stellar performance to reporters post-game. The graduate student credited her success to "going with the flow of the game and knowing what I'm capable of", as well as "being confident".
It was nearly a deja vu night for the Montego Bay, Jamaica native. Brown had a dominant performance in last season's NEC Quarterfinal, when she posted a career-high 30 points against LIU at home in Hackensack. In the same circumstances a year later, Brown posted 28 points, and grabbed ten rebounds to boot.
THE STATS
- Teneisia Brown continued her stretch of dominant play, posting a 28 points, ten rebound double-double.
- Brown finished just two points off of tying her career-high of 30.
- It marked the tenth-straight game in which Brown recorded a double-double.
- Brown scored her 28 points in a highly efficient manner, shooting 11-of-15 from the field.
- The Knights' star also recorded three steals
- Brown was the only Knights to score in double figures.
- Abby Conklin shone on both ends of the court for FDU in the victory.
- Conklin joined Brown with a three-steal performance to lead the team.
- The graduate student also knocked down a pair of triples, and grabbed five rebounds.
- In her NEC Tournament debut, FDU freshman Ava Renninger scored nine points, and logged a team-high 33 minutes.
- It was an incredibly efficient night for FDU, as they shot 52.7% from the field as a team.
- The Knights got a balanced effort out of their roster – ten different players scored a point in the victory.
- FDU dominated the glass, out-rebounding LIU 36-to-26.
- The Knights won the turnover battle 9-to-17.
- FDU scored 25 points off of turnovers, compared to LIU's five – one of the key statistical differences in the win.
WHAT'S NEXT
With the win, FDU has earned a spot in the NEC Semifinals. FDU will host #6 Chicago State on Thursday, March 13 in Hackensack. Tip-off will come at 7:00 p.m, with coverage on ESPN+.
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.
