Preview: Fairleigh Dickinson Hosts Saint Francis (PA) in NEC Women’s Basketball Showdown

HACKENSACK, N.J. (Interstat) — A matchup of teams at opposite ends of the Northeast Conference standings unfolds Thursday when the first-place Fairleigh Dickinson Knights host the last-place Saint Francis (PA) Red Flash in women’s basketball.

The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST at the Rothman Center.

Fairleigh Dickinson (26-4, 14-1 NEC) has dominated conference play, winning 12 of its last 13 games. The Knights are coming off a commanding 82-49 victory over Long Island on Saturday, a performance emblematic of their season. They boast the league’s top defense, allowing just 52.2 points per game in NEC play.

Saint Francis (PA) (3-25, 2-13) has struggled through a difficult season but is riding a rare high after an 82-63 home win over Central Connecticut last Saturday. That victory snapped a seven-game losing streak for the Red Flash.

The Knights won the first meeting this season in historic fashion, routing Saint Francis (PA) 73-28 on Jan. 4 in Loretto, Pennsylvania. It was the fewest points ever allowed by Fairleigh Dickinson in an NEC game.

A key player for the Knights is guard Kailee McDonald, who scored 18 points in the recent win over Long Island and is averaging 14.2 points over her last five games. She leads a balanced Fairleigh Dickinson attack that features four players averaging between 8 and 13 points per game in conference action.

The Red Flash will look to sophomore guard Gemma Walker, who erupted for a season-high 17 points in Saturday’s win. Walker had averaged just 6.7 points in her seven previous games. She will need support from Aleah James, who scored 21 points against Central Connecticut.

Fairleigh Dickinson can clinch at least a share of the NEC regular-season title with a victory. Saint Francis (PA), meanwhile, aims to build momentum and play spoiler while seeking its first road win of the conference season (0-7).