HACKENSACK, N.J. (Interstat) — In a defensive struggle defined more by grit than grace, the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights grinded out a 52-45 victory over the Wagner Seahawks in a Northeast Conference women’s basketball game Saturday at Rothman Center.

The Knights, who entered the contest with a 97.2% win probability according to Interstat’s ELO system, improved to 19-4 overall and solidified their position atop the league. Wagner fell to 10-11 despite a late fourth-quarter push that tightened the final margin.

The game’s pivotal stretch arrived in the third quarter. Leading 25-19 at halftime, Fairleigh Dickinson opened the second half with an 8-2 run, capped by a Madlena Gerke 3-pointer, to establish a 33-21 advantage. The Knights’ defense, which forced 13 Wagner turnovers and held the Seahawks to a 37.5% shooting clip from the floor, consistently stifled any sustained offensive rhythm from the visitors.

Wagner’s offense, which managed only seven points in the first quarter and nine in the third, found brief life in the final period. Trailing 42-30, the Seahawks mounted a 12-2 surge, keyed by interior play from Lijirin Doyinsola Modesayor and Irene Fernandez de Caleya, to close the gap to 44-42 with just over five minutes remaining. The comeback attempt, however, was ultimately undone by Wagner’s own inefficiency at the free-throw line, where they shot 8 of 18 for the game, and Fairleigh Dickinson’s commanding work on the offensive glass.

The Knights secured the win by dominating the rebounding battle, particularly on the offensive end where they held a 16-3 advantage. This led to critical second-chance opportunities and allowed them to maintain control despite shooting just 30.9% from the field themselves. In the final three minutes, Fairleigh Dickinson converted six crucial free throws to seal the game, part of a 12-of-18 performance from the line.

Fairleigh Dickinson was led by a double-double from Rebecca Osei-Owusu of Brooklyn, New York. The 5-foot-11 forward posted 10 points and 12 rebounds, anchoring the Knights’ interior presence. Leah Crosby of Plainfield, New Jersey, added 12 points and 11 rebounds, while Kailee McDonald of Lowell, Massachusetts, contributed 10 points and eight boards.

For Wagner, Modesayor, a 6-foot-3 center from Kotor Varos, Nigeria, and Fernandez de Caleya, a 5-foot-10 guard from Tarragona, Spain, each scored 10 points. Fernandez de Caleya added seven rebounds in a team-high 38 minutes.

The game was a rematch of a Jan. 15 contest, also won by Fairleigh Dickinson, 56-46. The Knights have now won six consecutive games, while Wagner saw a three-game winning streak snapped.

Fairleigh Dickinson next travels to face Stonehill on Thursday. Wagner will visit Le Moyne, also on Thursday.