BROOKLYN HEIGHTS, N.Y. - The St. Francis Brooklyn women's basketball returned to friendly confines on Remsen Street Saturday afternoon for the first time since the Terriers'
historic victory over Michigan State on Nov. 23. The NJIT Highlanders made the short trip over from Newark for the first time since the 2013-2014 season, with the all-time series between the two square at two apiece.
Despite playing without their point guard, Nevena Dimtrijevic, for all but four minutes in the game, the Terriers battled to the final horn. They kept the game tied, or at a one point lead, at the end of each of the first three quarters, but the game slipped away from the Terriers in the final minutes, and ultimately fell to NJIT, 59-53.
St. Francis was led in scoring by
Khaleah Edwards, who notched 13 points in her fourth double-digit shooting performance this season. Her point total was second highest among all players on Saturday.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After NJIT scored the first points of the game, SFBK took its first lead of the afternoon when
Nevena Dimitrijevic dropped three pointers on consecutive possessions. The Terriers were up 8-4 by the 5:14 mark in the first quarter. Dimitrijevic looked to extended their lead again with three minutes to play in the first, but would leave the game with an ankle injury after being fouled while shooting, and would not return.
Isabella Posset would hit a three pointer of her own with 2:19 to play in the first to extend the lead to 14-6, but the Highlanders would tie the game at 14 with two seconds remaining in the quarter.
The Terriers dropped four of the first seven three-point shots they took in the game, and the fourth by
Khaleah Edwards with 7:42 to play in the second quarter would put them back in front, 19-16. Both teams would trade shots down to the final seconds of the first half, entering the final 30 seconds of the half tied at 27.
Jaila Lee grabbed an offensive rebound with 21 seconds remaining, but took a hard foul coming back down with the ball and left the game momentarily. Freshman guard
Sheridan Kavanagh took her place at the free throw line, and gave SFBK a one-point halftime lead, 28-27 with her first collegiate point.
The lead would teeter back and forth throughout the third quarter, as well. A pair of free throws by
Alyssa Fisher with 3:01 remaining in the third quarter gave St. Francis a nine-point lead, it's largest of the game. The Terriers would not score in the final 3:01 of the third quarter; entering the final ten minutes still clinging to a one-point lead, 42-41.
Advantage changed five times in the fourth quarter, with St. Francis able to tie the game as late as 2:07 remaining in regulation thanks to a jumper in the paint by Fisher. The Highlanders would rattle six straight points to close out the win, 59-53.
TEAM LEADERS
Khaleah Edwards led all but one scorer in the game; finishing with 13 points, four assists, game-high two steals, and two rebounds.
Ally Lassen contributed nine points of her own, along with one steal and one rebound.
Alyssa Fisher matched her second-best shooting performance this season with eight points, adding four rebounds, two assists and one steal.
Isabella Posset handed out a season-high six assists to go with her six points and three rebounds.
NEXT UP: St. Francis Brooklyn has a week to rest up and prepare for the final stretch of its non-conference schedule; which kicks off Dec. 18 against Caldwell at 12 p.m. Tickets are available through the
Terrier Ticket Office and the game will be streamed through the
Terrier Sports Network on NEC Front Row.
