Box Score

STONY BROOK, N.Y. -- The Fairleigh Dickinson women's basketball team used an 18-5 second-half run that lasted nearly 10 minutes and held on for a 56-49 victory over Stony Brook Tuesday evening at Pritchard Gymnasium. With the victory, the Knights have won three straight for their first winning streak of the season and improve to 4-5, while the Seawolves fall to 5-4 overall.

FDU shot a season-high 43.5 percent (20-of-46) from the field, including a season-best 42.9 percent (6-of-14) from three-point range, while holding Stony Brook to only 31.5 percent (17-of-54) from the floor and 6-of-25 (24 percent) from behind the arc.

Both sides recorded 37 rebounds and struggled from the free throw line, with the Knights shooting 10-of-21 and the Seawolves 9-of-17.

Redshirt junior Danielle Pankey (Middletown, N.J./Middletown South), who played 39 minutes, led the way with a career-high 21 points on a career-best eight made field goals on 18 attempts, grabbed six rebounds and recorded three assists.

Sophomores Erika Livermore (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth Area) and Stephanie Isaacs (Fair Haven, N.J./Rumson-Fair Haven) each added 11 points. Livermore pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds for her seventh double-double of the season, dished out a season-best three assists and picked up two steals. Isaacs came off the bench and knocked down 4-of-5 shots, including 3-of-4 from three-point range.

In the first half, neither side led by more than five as there were seven ties and seven lead changes. FDU took a quick 4-0 lead before
Stony Brook eventually took a 23-18 lead with 6:37 before halftime.

A pair of three's from Isaacs and a three from the right wing, with the shot clock at zero, from sophomore Amanda Andrades (Virginia Beach, Va./Princess Anne) tied the game at 27 before both sides scored once more to go into halftime tied at 29.

Over the first 20 minutes, the Knights shot 45.8 percent (11-of-24) and made 5-of-9 from downtown. However, 10 turnovers led to 17 Seawolves' points as the home team turned it over only five times, while shooting 37.9 percent (11-of-29) from the field.

Pankey's jumper from the left wing gave FDU a 34-29 lead before Stony Brook answered with an 8-2 run to take a 37-36 lead with 11:50 left in the game.

After the Seawolves called a 30-second time out, Pankey started the 18-5 run with the first of her three three-point plays during the stretch. Her final three-point play gave the Knights their largest lead of the game, 54-42, with 2:00 to go.

Back-to-back Stony Brook three's and a free throw cut the lead to 54-49 with 49 seconds remaining. After junior Desiree Crawford (Aurora, Ontario/Cardinal Carter Catholic) made 1-of-2 free throws to make it 55-49, the Seawolves missed three trey balls, and Pankey's 21st point of the contest, with eight seconds left on a free throw, sealed FDU's 56-49 victory.

The Knights held Stony Brook to only 24.0 percent (6-of-25) shooting in the second half, including 3-of-16 from three-point range.

“This was a gritty win against a very feisty Stony Brook team,” Head Coach Peter Cinella said. “Danielle Pankey (Middletown, N.J./Middletown South) played a great game as she carried us down the stretch with her three and-one's, and we shot the ball well for the first time all year. Stephanie Isaacs (Fair Haven, N.J./Rumson-Fair Haven) was big coming off the bench making some big three's as well.”

Sabre Proctor led the Seawolves with 16 points. Chikilra Goodman, the America East Player of the Week, was held scoreless but shared team-high honors in rebounds (9) and assists (5) with Jessica Previlon, who scored eight points.

FDU will have 18 days off before returning to action at the Lehigh Christmas City Classic in Bethlehem, Pa. The Knights will take on Boston University on Saturday, Dec. 29 before facing Binghamton on Sunday, Dec. 30. Tipoff for both contests is scheduled for 2 p.m.