NEW YORK (Interstat) — Ava Renninger scored 18 points and dished out eight assists, and Madlena Gerke poured in a game-high 21 points as Fairleigh Dickinson held off a late rally to defeat Manhattan 65-63 in a non-conference women’s basketball game on Wednesday night at Draddy Gymnasium.

The Knights (2-2) led for nearly the entire contest but had to withstand a frantic final minute to secure the road victory. The Lady Jaspers (0-3) erased a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit and had a chance to tie or win on their final possession, but could not get a shot off.

Fairleigh Dickinson established control early, opening the game on a 12-2 run and leading 18-9 after the first quarter. The Knights maintained a 31-24 advantage at halftime, but Manhattan chipped away in the third quarter, outscoring FDU 18-12 to close the gap to 43-42 heading into the final period.

The Knights appeared to seize momentum back with a 9-2 run to start the fourth, building a 52-44 lead with 7:23 remaining. Manhattan refused to fade, mounting a 14-5 surge, capped by a Brianna Davis 3-pointer with 5.1 seconds left, to pull within 64-63.

Renninger was fouled on the ensuing inbounds play and made one of two free throws, giving Manhattan one last chance with 1.1 seconds on the clock. The Lady Jaspers’ final attempt never materialized, sealing the win for Fairleigh Dickinson.

Gerke’s 21 points came on 8-of-19 shooting, including three 3-pointers. Renninger, a 5-foot-6 guard from Yardley, Pennsylvania, filled the stat sheet, adding six rebounds to her 18 points and eight assists. Kailee McDonald also finished in double figures for the Knights with 14 points.

Manhattan was led by Davis, a Bronx native, who scored 19 points and added four rebounds and four assists. Agar Farres Garcia recorded a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 15 rebounds for the Lady Jaspers. Hana Mühl contributed 10 points and six assists.

Statistically, the game was remarkably even. Both teams had 69 possessions, with Fairleigh Dickinson posting a slightly more efficient offensive rating of 93.6 to Manhattan’s 91.8. The Knights shot 40.4% from the field (21 of 52) and 36.4% from 3-point range (8 of 22). Manhattan shot 39.7% overall (23 of 58) but were more accurate from deep, hitting 50% of their threes (7 of 14).

Fairleigh Dickinson’s ability to get to the free-throw line proved crucial, as they attempted 22 foul shots to Manhattan’s 14, making 15. Turnovers were nearly even, with FDU committing 16 and Manhattan 14. The Lady Jaspers held a slight edge in points in the paint, 30-24.

The announced attendance was 274.

Fairleigh Dickinson next travels to face Rutgers on Sunday. Manhattan will look for its first win on the road at Air Force on Saturday.