Thursday, January 24, 2002

BOXSCORE

Knights Overcome UMBC, 70-60
Team now 6-0 at home this season as four score in double-figures

Hackensack, NJ – The Fairleigh Dickinson (10-7, 5-3 NEC) women’s basketball team defeated the UMBC (6-11, 2-6 NEC) Retrievers using a 17-5 run to open the second half to overcome an 11-point deficit at the half to remain undefeated in the Rothman Center this season at 6-0.

The teams went scoreless until UMBC opened 5-0 on the Knights starting at 17:03.  The Retrievers first took a seven-point lead at 12:32 (16-9) and then slowly spread the margin to 12 (32-20) with just 1:28 remaining in the opening session.  The Knights went into halftime down 34-23, partly due to shooting 28% from the field and 11 first-half turnovers.

Fairleigh Dickinson was energized coming out of the lockerroom, allowing just one UMBC field goal and two free throws in the first five and one-half minutes while scoring 17 points to take the 42-39 lead at 14:32.  The teams battled for control until a Natallia Marchanka (Rechitsa, Belarus) three-pointer began a 7-0 run at 7:33 to give the Knights the lead for good.  UMBC would not get closer than five points the rest of the way, sending FDU to the foul line where they hit 6-of-6 in the last minute of the game. The Knights improved their shooting in the second half (65.4%) and committed just three turnovers.

Marchanka led four Knights in double-digits with 17 points, adding five assists in a full 40 minutes.  Kyle Schmitz (Herndon, VA) helped Fairleigh Dickinson in the post with 13 points and four rebounds.  Meaghan Allan (Millersville, MD) scored 11 points, including 4-of-4 clutch free throws.  Jennifer Kozlowski (Linwood, PA) had 10 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals. 

UMBC was led by Yinka Bada’s (Silver Spring, MD) 15 points while Matea Pender (Sibenik, Croatia) scored 13 for the Retrievers.  Jessie Brown (Salisbury, MD) had nine points and six assists.

The Knights will host Mt. St. Mary’s at 6:00pm on Saturday, January 26 for the opening stint of the first-ever NEC women’s basketball double-header to be televised on Cablevision.  Long Island will tip-off with UMBC following the conclusion of the first game.  Admission is free.

 

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