Women's Basketball Heads to FDU for 2 PM Tip

The Central Connecticut women's basketball team will look to remain in first place in the NEC as they travel to Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday afternoon for a 2 p.m. tip inside Stratis Arena. The Blue Devils are 17-10 overall on the season and a program-best 13-3 in NEC play heading into the matchup with the Knights of FDU (9-18, 6-10 NEC). Today's game can viewed live, for free, on NECFrontRow.com and will be the first of a double-header with the CCSU and FDU men's team, who will square-off at 4:30 p.m in their season finale.

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Today's Game • The Blue Devils (17-10, 13-3 NEC) travel to Teaneck, NJ to take on the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights (9-18, 6-10 NEC) for a 2 p.m. tip inside Stratis Arena. This marks the 17th conference game for both the Blue Devils and Knights as both teams enter the final week of NEC play.

Series History • The Blue Devils hold a slight lead over the Knights in the all-time Division I series history, 20-15. CCSU is 10-4 in the last eight seasons against the Knights under the direction of head coach Beryl Piper and the Blue Devils have won the last three meetings. Piper has a 3-3 mark against FDU inside Stratis Arena.

Earlier This Season • This is the second meeting this season between Central and Fairleigh Dickinson. The first meeting was back on Jan. 3 in Detrick Gym for both teams NEC opener and the Blue Devils topped the Knights 82-53. Junior Nicole Ferguson dropped a career-high 18 points in the win, hitting on five-of-14 shots from the field, including three-of-nine from beyond the arc. She was also a perfect five-of-five from the line and added six rebounds and a pair of assists. Amanda Andrades led the way for the Knights with 11 points.

Last Time Out • The Blue Devils overcame an early 12-point deficit to defeat the Saint Francis U Red Flash 72-59 last Monday night in New Britain. CCSU outscored SFU 41-23 in the second half, including a huge 19-2 Blue Devil run to help Central to the victory. Junior TeJahne Malone led the way for CCSU recording her seventh double-double of the season with 18 points and 11 rebounds in 38 minutes of action. Central shot 45.3% (24-53) from the floor, 33.3% (4-12) from three and 80.0% (20-25) from the line in the game. Freshman Camden Musgrave added 16 points, hitting all four three pointers in the game for the Blue Devils.

13 NEC Wins • With the 72-59 victory over Saint Francis U on Monday, the Blue Devils set a new program record for NEC wins in a season (13). The previous most wins in the NEC in a season were 12 during the 2008-09 run that saw the Blue Devils make their only postseason appearance in program history with a trip to the women's postseason NIT.
Scouting FDU • FDU enters today's matchup coming off a tough 66-65 loss at Sacred Heart on Monday night, snapping a two-game road winning streak. The Knights are led by Erika Livermore and Kelsey Cruz who respectively average 18.1 and 18.0 ppg on the season. Livermore is averaging 19.3 ppg in NEC play and also controls the glass for FDU with 267 total rebounds on the year, 170 more than the next closest Knight. Cruz averages 17.9 ppg in NEC contests and does a lot of her damage from behind the arc, connecting on a team-high 41 triples in 118 attempts on the season.

Undefeated at Home • The Blue Devils completed their regular season home schedule on Monday night with a win over the Red Flash. With the win, CCSU topped every NEC team to enter Detrick Gym on the season, going 9-0 in conference at home.

Tight at the Top • The Blue Devils enter today's game in a tie for first place in the NEC standings at 13-3 with the Bryant Bulldogs. Each team has two games remaining on its NEC slate, including a Monday night, March 2 showdown between the Blue Devils and Bulldogs in Smithfield, RI.

Musgrave of the Week • Freshman guard Camden Musgrave was named the NEC and ECAC Rookie of the Week following her performance in two CCSU victories over Sacred Heart and Saint Francis U. Musgrave averaged 18.0 ppg and 2.5 apg on the week, shooting the ball extremely well and efficiently off the bench for the Blue Devils. The rookie connected on 58.8% (10-17) of her shots from the field, including 58.3% (7-12) from distance and was 90.0% (9-10) from the free throw line in route to earning her third NEC Rookie of the Week award since Jan. 27. On Saturday against SHU, Musgrave poured in a game-high 20 points. It marked the second time this season she recorded a 20-point game. Then on Monday night against SFU, Musgrave followed up netting 16 more. The Maryland native has hit 46 three's and is shooting 38.7% from beyond the arc this season.