FLASH POINTS

• Saint Francis outscored FDU 20-4 in the first quarter
• Jessica Kovatch (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) had 29 points in 24 minutes
• SFU had 17 steals, three each by five different players
• The Red Flash had a 26-0 edge on points off turnovers through three quarters

LORETTO, PA- Saint Francis jumped on Fairleigh Dickinson early and never looked back, leading by as many as 32 in a 80-61 victory on Monday night inside DeGol Arena.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Saint Francis held FDU to just four first quarter points as the Knights missed their first six shots. The Red Flash forced seven first quarter turnovers and turned them into eight points to lead 20-4 after 10 minutes. FDU would never get the game back in single digits.

FIRST QUARTER RECAP

• The Red Flash held FDU without a point for the first 4:30 of the game
• SFU spread the wealth with six different players scoring in the first quarter
• Kovatch scored 8 of her 29 in the first quarter, capping a 9-0 run with back-to-back threes
• The Knights were held to just 2-15 shooting in the quarter
• Saint Francis lead 20-4 after the first quarter

SECOND QUARTER RECAP

• Saint Francis pushed the lead out to 19 on another Kovatch three
• FDU answered with six-straight to get the lead to 13, the smalles it would get the rest of the game
• A Courtney Zezza (Plum, Pa./Plum) three started a 16-0 run for the Red Flash as Zezza, Caitlyn Kroll (Bridgeport, Ohio/Bridgeport) and Kovatch all had threes in the run
• The Red Flash held a 20-0 advantage on points off turnovers in the half, forcing 14 first-half turnovers including 10 steals
• SFU led 44-20 at the half

 
THIRD QUARTER RECAP

• The Flash pushed the lead back out to 28 on another pair of Kovatch threes
• SFU happily traded baskets with the Knights before the Red Flash got a pair of Kovatch lay-ups and two Karson Swogger (Bellwood, PA/Bellwood-Antis) free throws as the lead hit the high-water mark of 32
• Saint Francis got another five steals in the quarter and six more points off turnovers to push the advantage to 26-0
• Kovatch scored 15 of her 29 in the quarter
• SFU led 64-37 after the third quarter

 
FOURTH QUARTER RECAP

• Saint Francis was able to put it into cruise control in the quarter after a steal from Ace Harrison (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor (Maryland)) led to a Kroll lay-up and pushed the lead back to 28
• Caitlin Carroll (Middletown, New Jersey/Red Bank Catholic) hit a pair of threes to help stop any sort of FDU rally
• FDU shot the ball well in the fourth 11-19 (58 percent) led by Peniel M'Bikata who had 8 of her 13 in the frame
• The Red Flash improved to 12-2 in the NEC and 17-9 overall with a 80-61 win

 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• SFU won nearly every column of the stat sheet on Monday night
• Ace Harrison (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor (Maryland)) had a game-high 12 rebounds as SFU out rebounded FDU 49-45 but grabbed 22 offensive boards leading to 15 second-chance points
• The Red Flash forced 24 turnovers leading to 31 points
• Kovatch (29) and Kroll (16) paced the scoring for SFU but six players had at least five
• Lauren Francillon had a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds for FDU
• Thanks to the hot fourth quarter, FDU out shot SFU, 40 percent to 35 percent

The win moves the Red Flash to 17-9 overall but more importantly 12-2 in the Northeast Conference. SFU now embarks on a three-game road trip starting at Central Connecticut. Tip time from New Britain is set for 1 p.m. on Saturday.