Thank you to our managing editor Amaya Morales who produced today’s live blog, as well as our social media manager Dulce Martinez who updated Twitter throughout the game. The Knights will have a chance to clinch a regular season championship in their next matchup at Wagner on Feb. 24 at 7 p.m.
Game Summary:
With today’s win, FDU needs to win just one more game in order to clinch the first seed in the NEC and hold home-court advantage throughout the NEC tournament.
The Knights were able to put forth a strong effort on both ends of the floor against the Bryant Bulldogs. They finished shooting 21-53 (39.6%) and 6-11 (54.5%) from the 3-point line. They also went 11-15 from the free-throw line and ended up forcing the Bulldogs into 20 turnovers. The bench for FDU was another big key to victory as they outscored Bryant 25-6.
Bryant tried to make their way back into the game late in the fourth quarter but it proved to be too little too late. Overall, they made just 16 of their 46 attempts from the floor (34.8%) and went 6-18 from three (33.3%) They also knocked down 14 of their 18 free throw attempts (77.8%)
Aniya Bell’s late game heroics were huge for the Knights. She finished leading all scorers with 18 points and also pulled down four tough rebounds. Sierra DeAngelo finished as the second leading scorer with 13 points and made all three of her attempts from distance. Rachael Niles also came up big down the stretch with two crucial made layups late in the shot clock, she would finish with 9 points in the game.
4:00 p.m.
The Knights defeat the Bulldogs 59-52.
Selvaggi steals the ball away as the clock runs out.
3:58 p.m.
Niles goes 1-2 from the free-throw line with 0:22 seconds left in the game.
FDU avoids disaster with the Castagne missed three.
3:57 p.m.
The Bulldogs force another turnover.
3:56 p.m.
Fortuny cuts it to six with 1:05 to go.
3:55 p.m.
The Knights look to hold onto their 58-50 lead as the game winds down.
3:54 p.m.
The Bulldogs tie Rachael Niles up and force the turnover with 1:16 remaining.
3:53 p.m.
Jallow draws the foul and hits both free throws.
3:52 p.m.
Bell hits both free throws to give the Knights a ten point lead.
3:52 p.m.
Aniya Bell works for the offensive rebound and gets fouled.
3:51 p.m.
Gallagher gets the steal but trunks it right back over with the double dribble.
3:50 p.m.
Bjelko knocks down two free throws and makes the score 56-48 with just over two minutes left in the game.
3:49 p.m.
Gallagher brings the game back within ten points as she makes one and then misses the second at the free-throw line.
3:47 p.m.
Bell knocks down a pair at the free throw line to give herself 16 points for the afternoon.
3:40 p.m.
Bjelko answers with a layup to make it 54-45.
3:39 p.m.
Niles sneaks inside late in the shot clock for two points.
Wilson goes 1-2 from the line, but FDU gets the ball back off the turnover by Bryant.
3:38 p.m.
Bjelko gets to the line and goes 1-2 to make it an eight point game with 6:51 to go in the game.
3:35 p.m.
Aniya Bell gets another jumper to fall to extend the FDU lead back to nine.
O’Connor faces up and shoots over the defense, making it a seven point game.
3:29 p.m.
As the game heads into the fourth quarter FDU remains in control 49-40.
3:27 p.m.
Forgues hits 1-2 at the line to make it a 9-point game for the Knights.
3:24 p.m.
Niles gets the strip on Bjelko with just under two minutes to play.
3:23 p.m.
DeAngelo uses her size to shoot over the top of the defense. She leads all scorers with 13 points.
3:20 p.m.
At the commercial timeout, FDU leads Bryant 46-40.
3:19 p.m.
Jallow cuts it to six with the made three.
Stanley gets Bjelko with the hesitation move and floats it up and in.
3:18 p.m.
Bjelko knocks down the jumper to cut it to seven now. The Bulldogs are on an 11-2 run.
3:17 p.m.
Fortuny knocks down the free-throw line jumper and the Bulldogs are within single digits.
3:16 p.m.
Jallow commits a lane violation on Bjelko’s second free throw attempt.
3:15 p.m.
Bjelko hits a free throw for the Bulldogs.
3:14 p.m.
Stanley gets her first made field goal of the game to put the Knights up by 12 with 6:48 to play in the third quarter.
3:13 p.m.
Fortuny goes 1-2 from the free throw line to make the game 42-32.
3:11 p.m.
Bjelko’s layup is good and FDU calls a quick timeout as the lead has been cut to 11.
Gallagher answers with a step back three to make it 42-29.
Bell starts the second half with a made turnaround jumper.
Halftime Update:
Through two quarters, FDU was able to put a lot of pressure on the Bulldogs and execute an efficient offense as they put up their highest halftime point total of the season.
Overall, the Knights shot 15-30 (50%) from the floor and were perfect from deep as they cashed in on all six of their attempts. They also shot 4-5 from the free-throw line (80%) and forced 13 turnovers on the defensive end.
The Bulldogs finished the half shooting 9-21 (42.9%) overall and 4-8 (50%) from three. They also went 4-5 (80%) from the free-throw line. Although the shooting has been decent, they’ve struggled to take care of the basketball and the Knights’ suffocating defense is to blame.
Sierra DeAngelo led the way for her squad with 11 points and three 3-pointers off the bench. Aniya Bell also got up to double digits in scoring as she finished with ten points, followed by six points from Rachael Niles off of her two threes.
Fatou Jallow leads Bryant in scoring with seven points, followed by six points from Nicole Gallagher. Lucie Castagne and Brooke Bjelko also combined for seven points.
2:50 p.m.
At the half, the Knights lead the Bulldogs 40-26.
2:49 p.m.
Forgues’ layup falls and the Knights go ahead by 14.
2:47 p.m.
Shannon O’Connor hits the free-throw line jumper for Bryant.
2:45 p.m.
Chloe Wilson spins past her defender and lays it in.
2:44 p.m.
FDU takes control after the travel with 3:14 remaining in the second quarter.
2:43 p.m.
Gallagher hits a three for Bryant to make it 36-24 with FDU still in control.
2:42 p.m.
DeAngelo gets inside and finishes giving her 11 quick points for the Knights.
2:41 p.m.
DeAngelo fires away from three again and hits. She’s now 3-3 from behind the three point line.
2:40 p.m.
Jallow knocks down a triple to bring the game back within ten.
2:39 p.m.
Bell scores and gets the foul call. The made free throw gives Bell ten points already in the game as FDU leads 31-18.
2:38 p.m.
Scott answers with a quick driving layup.
2:37 p.m.
Castagne stops the 6-0 run with a three for the Bulldogs.
2:32 p.m.
DeAngelo goes back to back from three to put FDU up 26-15 with 8:24 to play in the half.
2:31 p.m.
Sierra DeAngelo knocks down a three to keep FDU perfect from beyond the arc.
2:29 p.m.
After review, officials ruled a foul for Bryant’s Kemari Reynolds with .4 seconds left on the clock. After both free throws go down, the first quarter score is updated to 20-15.
2:24 p.m.
After the first quarter, FDU leads Bryant by a score of 20-13.
2:23 p.m.
Niles hits a second deep three to put the Knights up by seven.
Castagne crosses over to the middle of tha paint and gets her runner to fall off the backboard.
2:22 p.m.
Stanley heads to the line and misses her first attempt but converts on the second.
2:21 p.m.
Fatou Jallow drives into the paint and finishes the layup with contact. Jallow completes the and-one opportunity to make it 16-11 as Bryant still trails.
2:20 p.m.
Wilson scores on her first attempt of the afternoon. FDU leads 16-8.
2:19 p.m.
Rachael Niles drills a step back three off the bench for FDU with 3:41 to go in the first.
2:17 p.m.
*Correction, Aniya Bell’s previous 2-point shot ruled a three*
2:13 p.m.
Aniya Bell finishes the layup for her third straight basket.
FDU remains active early on the defensive end as Selvaggi forces the tie up.
2:12 p.m.
Bell pulls up again and hits for the Knights. FDU leads 9-7 halfway through the quarter.
2:11 p.m.
Mariona Planes Fortuny hits her jumper with the shot clock winding down.
2:09 p.m.
Aniya Bell knocks down a dribble pull-up jumper just inside the 3-point line to make it 6-5 for FDU.
2:07 p.m.
Nicole Gallagher connects on a triple off the inbound pass with 8:34 to go in the first quarter.
2:06 p.m.
Devyn Scott crosses over to the basket and gets fouled. With Scott’s two made free throws, the Knights are ahead 4-2.
2:04 p.m.
Brooke Bjelko answers with her own layup. The game is tied 2-2.
Madeline Selvaggi kicks things off with an easy layup off the cut to the basket.
Starting for the Bulldogs: Fatou Jallow, Nicole Gallagher, Brooke Bjelko, Lucie Castagne and Mariona Planes Fortuny.
Starting for the Knights: Devyn Scott, Aniya Bell, Chloe Wilson, Madeline Selvaggi and Madison Stanley.
Pregame Update:
The Knights were quickly able to get back to their winning ways against Merrimack after having their impressive eight game winning streak snapped at the hands of St. Francis U. As the post-season approaches, FDU will be looking to rack up all of the victories that they can in order to maintain their first place spot in the NEC. This afternoon, they will have the opportunity to start a new streak when they take on the ninth place Bryant Bulldogs. I am Sheldon Gomes, sports writer for The Equinox. Our managing editor Amaya Morales will be producing this afternoon’s blog. Our social media manager Dulce Martinez will be updating Twitter throughout the game.
The Knights look to win today vs. Bryant.
Art by Aurora Rifkind
