Sampson has scored in double-figures in five-straight after her team-high 12 points tonight (PHOTO BY Jennifer Raider) |
Brown double-double leads Knights to home win
HACKENSACK, N.J. (January 19, 2024) – FDU used a 46.7-percent shooting burst in the third quarter to secure a 61-50 victory over Stonehill College in a Northeast Conference women's basketball matchup at Bogota Savings Bank Center tonight.
Senior Teneisia Brown led three from FDU in double-figures with a double-double performance of 16 points and ten rebounds, shooting 7-for-13 from the floor, with two steals. Classmate Abby Conklin fell a rebound shy of joining Brown with a double-double, adding 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting, including 2-for-4 from three, with nine boards, two assists and a steal, while freshman Staci Williams totaled 14 points.
Postgrad Lauren Sampson reached double-figures in scoring for the fifth-straight game to lead all Stonehill scorers with 12 points and two rebounds. Junior Sharn Hayward, the reigning NEC Player of the Week finished in double-digits for the third-straight game with ten points, converting all seven free-throw attempts, with two rebounds and two assists. Senior Jada Thornton finished a point and rebound shy of the Skyhawks first double-double of the year with nine points, nine boards (five offensive), three assists and a steal.
FDU held a two-point halftime lead (32-30) behind eight points from Brown and 44.8-percent shooting (13-for-39). Stonehill was in the game behind a 10-5 edge in second chance scoring and a perfect 7-for-7 shooting from the free-throw line, despite 27.3% (9-33) shooting on its end of the court.
Thornton totaled nine points, nine rebounds and three assists for the Skyhawks (PHOTO BY Brian Foley) |
Thornton scored the first basket of the second half to knot the score, but FDU answered with an 11-1 run sparked by a Conklin triple to grab a ten-point lead (43-33) after a jumper off a Stonehill turnover by senior Abaigeal Babore with 4:13 remaining in the third quarter.
FDU stretched its lead to 12 (49-37) heading to the fourth quarter with a Conklin second chance layup with seven seconds remaining in the third. Sampson scored the first five points of the final frame to cut the Skyhawks deficit to seven (49-42) with 7:47 to play. Neither team scored for the next two minutes before junior Maureen Stapleton collected one of her six offensive rebounds and scored a layup to draw the Skyhawks back within five (49-44) with 5:51 still to play.
Conklin answered the run with a layup in FDU's next possession and then the two teams endured another scoring drought – this time for three minutes – before freshman Bella Toomey made one of two free-throws to push the lead back to eight (54-46) with 2:04 to play. Sampson pulled Stonehill back within six (54-48) with 1:52 remaining, but the Knights scored the next five points, including four from Williams, to reclaim an 11-point lead (59-48) and seal the win.
FDU jumped out to a seven-point lead (12-5) less than four minutes into the contest and was up by as much as eight (18-10) after a three-pointer from sophomore Lilly Parke with 1:17 to play in the first quarter. Stonehill finished the quarter strong, drawing back within two (20-18) after five-straight free-throws by Hayward to close out the frame.
FDU grabbed a five point lead (23-18) after a jumper from Williams early in the second, but Stonehill reeled off seven-straight, drawing even with a three-pointer from freshman Emma Arcà before sophomore Paige Martin gave the Skyhawks their first lead (25-23) with four minutes remaining in the half. The teams traded baskets over the next two minutes before the Knights scored seven-straight to reclaim a five-point lead (32-27) after a Williams triple. Freshman Brooke Paquette capped the half with a three of her own to pull Stonehill back within two at the intermission.
Noteworthy
- Sampson has scored in double-figures in five of the six games she has played at Stonehill since returning from injury and transferring from Providence.
- Stonehill hauled in 20 offensive rebounds to aid in a 14-9 edge in second chance points.
- Stonehill finished with two more turnovers (15-13) than FDU, but the Knights made the most of those chance with a 21-8 margin in points off.
Up Next
Stonehill (2-16, 2-3 NEC) is right back in action on Sunday when it returns home to open a three-game homestand against Merrimack College at 2 p.m. FDU (5-13, 3-2 NEC) is off until Thursday, when it hosts Central Connecticut State University at 8 p.m.
Tickets for home Stonehill basketball games can be purchased in advance online at stonehillskyhawks.com/tickets.
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