The Fairleigh Dickinson University women's basketball team was defeated by St.  Bonaventure University on Saturday afternoon, 66-49, in a non-conference battle at the Reilly Center in Olean, NY.  The Bonnies improve to 11-0 on the season, while the Knights fall to 4-6 overall.  The loss halts FDU's two-game win streak.

Mariyah Laury led the Knights with 12 points.  Alyssa Mayrose and Jasmyra Saunders each chipped in nine points.  Esther Wallace led the squad on the boards, tying a career-high with seven rebounds, while Jordan Sykes dished out four assists to lead the team.  Sykes and Saunders each had three steals to lead the Knights defensively.

St. Bonaventure jumped out to 13-8 lead in the first four and a half minutes of the first half.  The Knights then went on a 12-4 run to take a 20-17 halfway through the half.  Sykes and Laury each hit big three-pointers with the shot clock almost at zero.  In a half that featured five ties and six lead changes, the Knights were in control during the latter part of the half.  Amy Longo's three-pointer put the Knights up 29-26 with 1:30 to go before the Bonnies scored five unanswered points to go up 31-29 at the half.  FDU's zone defense frustrated the undefeated Bonnies during the first 20 minutes.

Eight different Knights scored a basket in the first half.  Saunders came off the bench to lead the Knights with seven first-half points.  The Knights' bench outscored the Bonnies' bench 16-4.  Alannah Driscoll-Sbar and Wallace each had four rebounds to pace FDU.   The Knights shot 41 percent from the field in the first half but knocked down 50 percent (5-10) of their three-point attempts.  The Bonnies connected on 50 percent of their field goal attempts and made three of six from three-point range.   FDU also out-rebounded the Bonnies 15-13.  Each team turned the ball over six times.

The Bonnies came out in the second half and showed why they are one of 13 remaining unbeaten teams in the country.  Three-time all-Atlantic 10 performer Dana Mitchell scored three quick baskets at the start of the second 20 minutes to help put the Bonnies up 44-34 with 16:07 to go.  The Knights were able to cut the deficit to five on two different occasions.  Kayla Killian's three-pointer gave the Knights hope with 10:46 to go in the game.  With about nine and a half minutes to go, Saunders stole the ball and fed Laury for a layup to put the Knights down 48-43. 

That was the closest the Knights would get the rest of the game.  FDU had multiple opportunities to cut the lead below five, but missed opportunities on multiple fast breaks stopped any sort of comeback.  St. Bonaventure went back up double-digits with eight minutes to go and cruised the rest of the way for the victory.

"We played a great first half and had the lead for much of it," said Head Coach Pete Cinella. "Our goal was to be within five points with less than 10 minutes to go and Kayla Killian hits a big three to do that.  St. Bonaventure stepped up and hit some big threes and showed why they are an 11-0 team.  Overall, we did some very good things today."

Mitchell led all scorers with 21 points, including 12 after halftime.  She also led the Bonnies with seven rebounds.  Jessica Jenkins added 18 points on six three-pointers.  St. Bonaventure came into the game shooting 47 percent from the field and 45 percent from three-point range.  The Bonnies finished the game shooting 48 percent (24-50) from the field, including 50 percent from long-range (7-14).

Both teams grabbed 31 rebounds, but the Bonnies won the turnover battle as they only turned the ball over 11 times compared to 16 by the Knights.  FDU also finished the game shooting 36 percent from the field.

The Knights are back in action after the holiday break at home on Wednesday, Dec. 30, at 7:00 p.m. versus Princeton.