Central Falls at Fairleigh Dickinson on Monday Night
The Blue Devils will return home next weekend to play St. Francis Brooklyn and LIU Brooklyn.
The Central Connecticut women's basketball team dropped a 76-49 decision to the Knights of Fairleigh Dickinson on Monday night inside the Rothman Center in Hackensack, NJ. The Knights (10-7, 2-4 NEC) shot 43.3 percent from the field for the game and broke away from CCSU with a big second quarter performance where they outs-scored Central 27-10.
CCSU (2-14, 2-3 NEC) was paced by freshman Ashley Forker with nine points, six of which came in the fourth quarter. Fellow rookie Ashley Berube tied her career-high in blocks with five rejections and also snagged a team high five rebounds.
FDU carried the momentum in the first quarter after holding Central scoreless in the later 4:33 of the opening period. The Knights went on a 6-0 run to take a 15-8 lead as CCSU managed just 3-of-17 (17.6%) from the floor.
Central Connecticut struggled to cut into Fairleigh Dickinson's lead as the Knights erupted to out-score CCSU 27-10 in the second quarter and shot 62.5 percent on 10-for-16 shooting.
Out of the halftime gate, the Blue Devils responded by forcing a Fairleigh Dickinson turnover and scoring on their first three offensive possessions. In the stretch juniors Kiana Patterson and Andi Lydon knocked down three-pointers for CCSU.
Relentless, the Knights powered back to go on an 11-0 spurt lead by a Lauren Francillon jumper at the 7:32 mark. Sophomore Ashley Chin ended the drought at 3:32 and sliced through the lane for her first basket of the game. At the end of the third quarter CCSU trailed 60-32.
CCSU played the Knights evenly in the fourth quarter as FDU only out-scored them by one point.
Francillion recorded a career-high in points and rebounds third double-double of the season with 16 points and 16 rebounds. Madelynn Comly scored a game-high 18 points on 8-of-9 shooting. FDU held a 46-34 edge on the glass.
Patterson dished out four assists in the game.
The Central Connecticut women's basketball team will host St. Francis Brooklyn next on Saturday, January 20 at 1:00 p.m. and then LIU Brooklyn on Monday, January 22 in New Britain, CT.
