HOBOKEN, N.J. (January 20, 2024) - First-year Kay Decker scored a career-high 19 points and matched a career-high with 13 rebounds as the Stevens Institute of Technology women's basketball team defeated FDU-Florham 72-68 in MAC Freedom play Saturday afternoon inside Canavan Arena. The Ducks celebrated senior day, honoring seniors Anika Damera and Elissa Nsenkyire.

The Ducks (8-9, 3-3 MAC Freedom) end a six-game losing streak at home. They have now won three of their last five games. Stevens has now won 11-straight games in the series dating back to 2007. With the loss, the Devils drop to and 2-4 in MAC Freedom play. Stevens jumps into a tie for fourth with Delaware Valley in the conference  standings while FDU-Florham drops to sixth. The top four teams qualify for the MAC Freedom Tournament.

With the Ducks out to an early lead, Damera scored a bucket at the eight minute mark to give the Ducks a three point lead. Junior Lucy Alberici then made a triple on the next Ducks possession to put them up four. FDU-Florham responded with a basket that was answered by sophomore Dorothy Loffredo to put the Ducks back up four. The Devils then went on a 9-0 run to take a 15-10 lead with 3:23 to go. Down 17-13, Stevens closed the quarter on a 5-0 run to take a one-point lead into the second. To start the second, the Ducks made their first two buckets of the frame as Alberici and Loffredo each had one. Stevens was able to gain a five-point advantage as first-year Kay Decker scored with 6:34 on the clock. The Devils were able to go on another seven-point run to re-take the lead. With 25 seconds remaining, Castro made a floater to tie the score at 33. The score remained tied at the break.

The first point of the third was a free throw by FDU almost two minutes into the quarter. The Devils scored seven more points before Decker made a basket for the first Duck bucket of the quarter at 4:04. Alberici then hit a triple in the next possession to cut the Devil lead in half. First-year Paige Gorczyca then scored to get Stevens within one. FDU-Florham drained a triple with less than a minute to go to give them a six point lead, but Decker and Castro each had three-point plays the old fashioned way in the final 24 seconds to tie the game at 48 with just ten minutes to play. The run extended to nine as Decker made a three to open the fourth. Later in the quarter with the Ducks still up three, Damera made a corner three from the far side to put the Ducks up six. Stevens was then able to gain a nine-point lead, their largest of the game as Decker made another basket. FDU-Florham got within one as they made a three from the top of the key to make the score 63-62 in favor of the home side. Down 66-65, Decker made another timely basket with just over a minute left that put the Ducks in front by one. FDU-Florham would retake the lead again, but Castro made a clutch baseline jumper to put the Ducks back up one with 26 seconds to go. The Devils then turned over the inbound pass after a mad scramble, which resulted in just one point. Thankfully for the Ducks, they turned over the Devils again with two seconds left. Alberici was able to make two free throws to seal the victory for the Ducks, winning 72-68.

Top Performers

• Decker also added three steals and two assists.
• Castro scored 17 points and added a career-high eight assists.
• Alberici stuffed the stat sheet with 13 points, six rebounds, and four assists.
• Loffredo scored nine points and had three steals.
• Gorczyca tallied eight points and grabbed six boards.
• Stevens shot 36.5 percent (27-74) from the field and 28.6 percent (4-14) from three. The Ducks also shot 73.7 percent (14-19) from the line.

The Opponent

• Shannon Tighe scored 19 points, had 14 rebounds, and recorded six assists.
• Neysa Aguilar scored 20 points.
• Gabrielle Walker recorded 13 points and tallied two assists.
• FDU-Florham shot 43.6 percent (24-55) from the field and 42.9 percent (6-14) from three. They also went 14-19 from the free throw line (73.7%).

Around the MAC Freedom

• King's 38, Misericordia 59
• Arcadia 67, Lebanon Valley 46
• DeSales 70, Delaware Valley 48

Up Next: Women's basketball continues conference play on the road Wednesday as they visit Delaware Valley. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. The Ducks are 5-0 all-time against the Aggies. In last year's road contest against Delaware Valley, Leyla Castro scored 13 points and had three rebounds to help lead Stevens to a 68-43 victory. Links for live stats and video are posted to stevensducks.com