Women's Basketball Drop Heartbreaker to FDU, 66-63
Central honors its four seniors Thursday night at 7 p.m. in its final regular season game.
The Central Connecticut (7-20, 4-13 NEC) women's basketball team fell 66-63 to Fairleigh Dickinson (7-21, 4-13 NEC) on Monday night. Both teams are tied at 4-13 in conference, but FDU holds the tie breaker earning a season sweep over the Blue Devils. In order to make it into the Northeast Conference Tournament, Central needs to win its last regular season game against St. Francis Brooklyn on Thursday and FDU has to lose to LIU Brooklyn.
Central got off to an early 9-5 lead connecting on its first 4-of-8 shots with four points by sophomore Ashley Berube. The Knights went on a 7-0 run holding the Blue Devils scoreless for 3:01 to take a 12-9 lead with 2:34 to play. Central struggled to defend Madelynn Comly, who scored the first nine straight points for FDU. After 10 minutes of action, Fairleigh Dickinson had a slight 15-11 lead.
The Blue Devils opened the second quarter with an 8-0 run started by sophomore Emma McCamus. The Knights shot 1-for-7 before Madison Stanley scored off a post move with 6:13 on the clock. After trading baskets, sophomore Ashley Forker found senior Andi Lydon on the block for an and-one to put CCSU up 27-23.
Central won the second quarter 24-11 and took a 34-26 lead at half. The Blue Devils shot 15-28 (.536) including 3-8 (.375) from three, led by senior Kiana Patterson who had 12 points. The Knights were 10-25 (.400) and 4-9 (.444) from three.
Following halftime, Lydon drilled a three from the top of the key to give Central its first double-digit lead of the game. FDU answered with six-straight points holding CCSU scoreless for over three minutes. Berube ended the run with an and-one making the score 40-32 with 5:36 to play. Five straight points by Lindsey Mack made it a two-possession game.
CCSU entered the final 10 minutes of play with a 46-44 advantage. With 7:44 to play the game reached its first tie at 49-49. Another and-one by Berube followed by a three pointer by McCamus put Central up 54-49, and FDU answered with a three of its own to put the game back within two.
With 1:57 to play, the game was tied 59-59 and back to back scores by McCamus and Berube put Central up four. With a one-point lead with 24.2 on the clock, Berube went 0-2 from the foul line giving FDU a chance to take the lead. Comly scored a tough basket with 13.1 seconds on the clock to put the Knights up one. On the next possession, Patterson couldn't connect at the rim and FDU hit free throws down the stretch to pull out the win 66-63.
For the first time this season, Central had four players: Berube (15 pts), Patterson (12 pts), McCamus (12pts), and Lydon (11pts) score double figures in the same game. Patterson and Forker each had five assists.
The Blue Devils honor its four seniors on Thursday night at 7 p.m. before playing its final game of the regular reason against St. Francis Brooklyn.
