MADISON, N.J.- Cold shooting undid Eastern University Women's Basketball in a 56-47 loss at the College of Florham. The Eagles shot only 35.4 percent from the floor and 15.8 percent from behind the arc in dropping their third straight in the Freedom Conference.
The Freedom-leading Devils built a 10-2 lead out of the gate and never trailed. The deficit reached 11 on three different occasions in the first half as the Devils were able to get the ball into the lane for multiple shots. When Meghan Nowak went to the bench with her second foul with nearly twelve minutes left in the period, the Eagles became very perimeter oriented.
Even with only 19 percent shooting in the period, the Eagles were able to rebound and defend well enough to be within eight on heading into the final possession of the period. FDU's Leigh-Ann Lively connected on a 3-pointer from the wing as the clock wound down to put the hosts up 29-18 at the break.
FDU held a 10-0 advantage in points in the paint through the first 20 minutes. Tori Grossi had five points off the bench. She was the only Eastern player with multiple field goals in the period. Kelsie Patton also had five. Rachel Groom led the hosts with eight points.
The second half started out with a solid first possession for the Eagles. Nowak scored inside to cut the deficit to to nine. The Eagles would then go eleven straight offensive possessions without moving the scoreboard. Through that dry spell, Eastern kept FDU from putting the game away, but the Devil lead reached 37-20 before Gina DiDomenico connected from long range to stop the Eastern skid.
Nowak, who had picked up her fourth with fifteen minutes to play, reentered the game and scored five straight points to cut the deficit to ten with just less than nine minutes to go, but the Devils (15-1, 5-0 Freedom) rebuilt the lead to 47-30 with 5:17 to play.
The game seemed out of reach after Nowak fouled out, but the Eagles scored eight points in an 80 second burst to pull within five points with 41 seconds to play. Kelsie Patton scored four points in the burst. FDU made their free throws down the stretch to hold on for the win.
Nowak led the Eagles (6-10, 2-3) with 12 points in only 18 minutes on the floor. Patton, Grossi, and Kaitlyn Dougherty each added nine. Groom led FDU with 14 and Kyra Dayon added 12.
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