Box Score HACKENSACK, NJ – Dana Carbone (Toms River, NJ/Monsignor Donovan) scored a career-high 19 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter, but the Monmouth University women's basketball team's comeback bid came up short Sunday night at Fairleigh Dickinson. The Knights came away with an 81-75 victory to improve to 3-7 on the year, while the Hawks fall to 2-7. Monmouth was whistled for 30 fouls in the game, resulting in 29 free-throw attempts for the Knights (23-29). FDU cashed in with its final 18 points from the line and didn't convert a field goal in the final six minutes of the third and fourth quarters.

“We were getting the shots we wanted on the offensive end to start the game, but they weren't falling and it kind of set the tone for us,” said Monmouth Head Coach Jenny Palmateer. “It trickled into the second quarter. That was our worst quarter of the game and it ballooned on us. We let the misses on offense dictate our defensive intensity and tempo and, by doing that, we let up too many easy shots. But credit FDU. They shot the ball really well.”

Carbone was 5-of-10 from the floor, including 4-of-8 from long range, to go along with 5-of-8 shooting from the free-throw line. She also added three steals. Sarah Olson (Freehold, NJ/Howell [NJIT]) buried four threes and finished with 16 points, while Jasmine Walker (North Brunswick, NJ/North Brunswick) came off the bench to add 13 points and five assists. Christina Mitchell (Baltimore, MD/MATHS) chipped in with her fourth double-double of the year with 10 points and 10 rebounds, including five on the offensive glass. Monmouth enjoyed a 25-14 edge in turnovers forced, but could only manage a 20-16 advantage in points off turnovers.

Erika Livermore led FDU with 28 points on 10-of-14 shooting from the floor and 7-of-9 from the free-throw line, while completing a double-double with 15 rebounds. Kelsey Cruz was close behind in the scoring column with 23 points, while Jackie Jackson also finished in double-figures with 14 points, including 5-of-6 from the floor. The Knights shot 50 percent (27-54), including 4-of-7 (.571) from long range. Anastasia Williams led FDU on the glass with 10 rebounds, while Madelynn Comly dished out five assists.  

The Hawks jumped out to an early 5-2 lead thanks, in large part, to strong defense that forced turnovers on seven of FDU's first eight possessions. Though Monmouth forced 11 first-quarter turnovers, the Knights took a 16-15 lead after one. FDU scored the first six points and 10 of the first 12 in the second quarter to extend to a 26-17 lead. The lead gradually extended to 13 on two occasions, including the 40-27 score at the half.

Livermore led all scorers at the break with 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting, including a three-pointer and 3-for-3 from the free-throw line, to go along with eight rebounds. Cruz was right behind her with 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the floor, including a three and 2-for-2 from the free-throw line. The Knights made all five of their attempts from the free-throw line, while the Hawks shot just 1-of-6 from the charity stripe. Walker led the Hawks with six points off the bench in the first half, while Olson and Tyese Purvis (Queens, NY/Francis Lewis [Monroe C.C.]) had five points apiece. The Knights took a 28-18 edge on the boards and a 20-8 advantage in scoring in the paint.

The Knights gradually upped their lead to 17 on a Cruz three-pointer at the six-minute mark of the third quarter. But the Hawks would end the period on an 11-0 run to close to within six after three. Five different Hawks scored in the run and Walker's two free throws with 19 seconds left capped the run. Momentum was on the Hawks' side until Carbone was whistled for a charge on Monmouth's first possession of the fourth. Had the whistle gone the other way, it would've resulted in a four-point deficit, a chance for a three-point play and a one-possession game. Instead, the call ignited a 10-0 Knights run that the Hawks couldn't overcome.

Once again, the Hawks held FDU without a field goal in the final six-plus minutes of a period. But Monmouth was called for 16 fourth-quarter fouls and the Knights converted 18-of-24 from the free-throw line in the final stanza. The Hawks gradually whittled the deficit down to as few as five on strong three-point shooting (6-of-10), but time ran out with the Knights holding on for the 81-75 victory.

For the game, FDU outshot Monmouth, 50.0 percent (27-54) to 34.7 percent (26-75) from the floor, including a 57.1 percent (4-7) to 34.3 percent (12-35) edge from long range. The Knights also took a 79.3 percent (23-29) to 55.0 percent (11-20) edge from the free-throw line and a 45-40 advantage on the boards. Monmouth's bench outscored the Knights', 35-18, while FDU took a 38-20 edge in points in the paint.   

Monmouth returns to action Dec. 29, when it plays host to St. Francis Brooklyn in the Hawk Holiday Classic presented by Hotels Unlimited. Following the opening game between La Salle and Norfolk State at 1 p.m., the Hawks and Terriers will square off at 3 p.m. at the MAC. The consolation game will be played the following day, Dec. 30, at 1 p.m., with the championship game set for 3 p.m.