NEWARK, NJ—Despite a strong performance from NJIT senior forward Taj Lewis, who registered a double-double (21 points, 10 rebounds) visiting Fairleigh Dickinson topped NJIT, 74-70, in the Highlanders inaugural women's basketball game in the new Wellness and Events Center Thursday evening in non-conference action.

The Knights improve to 3-0 on the young season while the Highlanders drop to 0-3.

The Knights got four free throws from Madelynn Comly in the finals 29 seconds to seal the victory.  Fairleigh Dickinson went ahead by five, 72-67 after two free throws by Comly. 

NJIT freshman Ellyn Stoll knocked down her third three-pointer of the game with six seconds remaining, pulling within two, 70-72, but Comly hit a pair of free throws to close out the game.

Comly and Amina Markovic finished with 17 points each to pace the offense for the Knights. The two went 13-of-18 from the free throw line and as a team, the Knights were 21-of-33 on the Knight. Markovic grabbed eight rebounds.

Lauren Francillon notched a double-double with 13 points and a game-best 11 rebounds for the Knights.

Lewis, a junior college transfer from Roxbury, notched a Highlander personal-best performance with 21 points, shooting 8-for-13 from the field and grabbed a team-best 10 rebounds.

Sophomore Amarri Trueheart and freshman Dez Allen combined for 11 points apiece while redshirt junior Tatianna Torres added 10 points.  Torres dished out a game-best six assists for the Highlanders.

Stoll finished with all nine points in the fourth quarter, all in the final 6:04.

Fairleigh Dickinson scored the first three points of the contest as the Highlanders used a 7-4 spurt to tie the game at 7-7.  The Knights went ahead, 12-9, on a three-point play by Peniel M'Bikata but the Highlanders scored six consecutive for a 15-12 advantage with 2:23 left in the first quarter. 

The Knights used a 12-2 run, pushing ahead 24-17 to close out the quarter on top.  FDU's Markovic and Francillon each scored six points while the high scorer for the quarter was NJIT's Trueheart with seven.

NJIT's Dez Allen opened the second stanza with a two-point bucket as the Knights pushed its lead to seven on two occasions, the final at the 6:31 mark after a layup by Comly.  The Highlanders cut the deficit to five, on a three-pointer from the left side by Tracey Brereton but the Knights used a 6-0 spurt taking a 37-26 advantage.

The Highlanders slimmed the lead down to nine, 28-37, on a jumper outside the painy by Lewis with 2:35 to left in the second quarter.  Fairleigh Dickinson took its biggest lead of the contest on a three-pointer by Kamrin Weimer, 44-28, and the Knights held a 13-point lead heading into the half, 47-34.

Lewis led all scorers with 12 points while Fairleigh Dickinson's Francillon paced the Knights with 10 points.

The Highlanders started the third on a 9-0 run to bring it to a 43-47 with 5:50 left in the third. The Knights responded with a 7-2 run of their own bringing the lead back 10, 55-45. 

The Knights lead grew to as many as 14 in the fourth, 68-54 after Markovic converted an old-fashioned three-point play. NJIT inched its way back into the game using a 15-6 spurt, sparking by Stoll's trey ball at the 5:17 mark. Stoll sank a three-pointer with six seconds left as Comly sealed the game from the free throw line. 

NJIT will return to action on Sunday at 7pm, hosting Saint Peter's of the MAAC in the Wellness and Events Center.