Women's Basketball Falls to the FDU Knights on Thursday
The Central Connecticut women's basketball team suffered a 70-56 loss on Thursday night against the FDU Knights
The Blue Devils were led by Belle Lanpher who notched 15 first-half points and totaled 17 for her team. Samora Watson was right behind her with 15 points and five rebounds. Meghan Kenefick led Central on the boards with seven. Amaya Williams dished out a team-high five assists that tied a career-high.
The Knights had four in double figures. The three-headed monster however of Abby Conklin (13), Staci Williams (18), and Lily Parke (15), were just too much to handle for The Blue Devils. Teneisia Brown tallied a double-double for FDU with 12 points and 14 rebounds.
GAME INFORMATION
Score: CCSU 70, FDU 56
Records: CCSU (9-20) (7-8 NEC), FDU (13-6) (11-5 NEC)
Location: Detrick Gymnasium | New Britain, CT
KEY MOMENTS
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Both teams were without a basket for the first three minutes of the contest until Abaigeal Babore scored and The Knights took a 2-0 lead. Meghan Kenefick converted the first field goal for the Blue Devils at the 6:00 minute mark and tied the game 6-6. Central took a 16-10 lead after Belle Lanpher drained a three with 2:31 reaming in the first quarter. Abby Conklin drained a three to cut the deficit to 16-15 at the 1:12 mark of the first. FDU took a one-point lead after Staci Williams made a layup with 0:29 seconds left. Samora Watson answered with a jump shot with 0:06 seconds left and sent the Blue Devils and Knights into the second quarter tied at 18.
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Abby Conklin made her second three of the game to start the quarter and give FDU a 21-18 lead. Alonna Sellers cut the lead to 21-20 with a basket at the 8:11 mark. Lanpher hit her second three with 5:24 left cutting an FDU six-point lead to 28-25 in the second quarter. The Knights and Blue Devils traded baskets and Central tied the game at 33 with a three-pointer from Amaya Williams with 1:13 left to go. CCSU would take the 35-33 lead with a basket from Lanpher. FDU would go into the locker room leading Central after Lilly Parke drained a three with the shot clock running down.
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Samora Watson canned the first basket of the third quarter for Central at the 7:50 mark. Alonna Sellers followed with another CCSU basket, and The Blue Devils took a 41-38 lead early in the third stanza. BROWN,TENEISIA made layup 0 3:45 45 – 45. BROWN,TENEISIA made layup -1 0:40 47 – 48. The quarter ended 48-47.
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The Knights went on a 5-0 run to open the fourth quarter. Lily Parke made a free throw with 7:45 to go in the quarter as FDU led CCSU 53-48. Kayla Henry made a layup to cut the Knight lead to three with 6:57 (53-50). Staci Williams drained a triple with 5:18 left in the game that put FDU ahead of Central 58-50. Williams had 18 on the night and made another three to give The Fairleigh Dickson Knights a 64-52 lead with 2:15 left to go. Central Connecticut was not able to mount the comeback and fell 70-56.
NUMBERS TO KNOW
7 – The Blue Devils finish the regular season with seven conference wins, their most since 2017-18.
NOTES
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FDU leads the all-time series 22-19 and the Blue Devils have lost their last seven against the Knights.
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The Knights outscored Central Connecticut 23-8 in the fourth quarter to snap the Blue Devils two-game win streak and soil a chance at their first home playoff game since 2014.
UP NEXT...
The Blue Devils take on Merrimack in North Andover on Monday, March 11th at 7 PM.
