Game Highlights vs. Fairleigh Dickinson

Post Game Interview w/ Coach Lanpher

NEWARK, NJ—Fairleigh Dickinson redshirt senior Brianna Thomas scored a game-high 21 points leading the visiting Knights to a comeback win, 66-61, at NJIT Monday evening in non-conference women's basketball action at the Fleisher Athletic Center.

Thomas, who scored nine points in the fourth quarter for the Knights, finished with a double-double, 21 points and 10 rebounds. 

In a game which saw NJIT leading for 28:36, the Knights rallied back down as many as eight in the second period, 26-34, with less than a minute to play till halftime.

The Highlanders (2-2) held a five-point advantage, 55-50, in the fourth quarter, after a three-pointer by Jordan Ireland with less than eight to play. 

The Knights (2-1) used a 7-2 spurt to knot the game at 57 (the fifth tie of the night) and later went ahead, 62-59, on a layup by Thomas with 2:42 remaining in the game.  FDU's Thomas would knock down a pair of free throws at 2:06, giving the Knights a five-point advantage, 64-59.

NJIT's senior co-captain Alana Dudley converted a layup with less than a minute to play but FDU's Natalie Zamora knocked down a pair of free throws with three second left and the visiting Knights picked up its second win of the season, 66-61.

In addition to Thomas' game-best 21 points, forward Lauren Francillon and guard Madelynn Comly recorded 13 and 11 points respectively in the victory.  Francillon pulled down eight rebounds for the Knights.

NJIT was led by Dudley with 17 points and shared team-high honors with senior forward Leah Horton with seven rebounds.  Dudley dished out a game-best five assists.  Horton added 14 points, shooting 6-for-14 from the field.

The Highlanders received eight points each from Tatiana Torres, Kelly Guarino and Jordan Ireland.  Ireland, who came off the bench, knocked down two of NJIT's five three-pointers in 19 minutes of action.  Guarino, returned back to the hardwood after recovering from knee surgery, posting five assists and knocking down 2-of-4 from three-point range in 29 minutes.

NJIT will make its first long road trip of the season, to Burlington, Vermont, for a two-day tournament over the Thanksgiving weekend.  NJIT will face host Vermont on November 25 at 7pm and take on either Wisconsin Milwaukee or LIU Brooklyn a day later, as part of the TD Bank Classic.

The game vs. Vermont will add meaning for head coach Steve Lanpher, who was formerly assistant coach and then associate head coach for Vermont. In his four years on the staff, the Catamounts were a combined 91-40 with one WNIT berth and two NCAA berths, including 2010, when they finished with 27 wins and advanced to the second round of the NCAAs.