WILKES-BARRE, PA (February 8, 2020) -- The King's College women's basketball team shot 42.4 percent from the floor, including 43.8 percent, but their sharp-shooting offensive effort came up short as they dropped their fourth straight Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) contest to the visiting Devils of FDU-Florham, 76-74, on Saturday afternoon in McGrane Gymnasium.

The opening quarter saw neither team leading by more than three points before the Monarchs used a 17-6 run capped off by a three by freshman Emily Morano to end the quarter with King's leading, 24-16. The Devils tied the game at 32 with 3:22 to go in the half before a three-point play by senior Rebecca Prociak and back-to-back baskets by sophomore Samantha Rajza and senior Mackenzie Yori put the Monarchs ahead five, with 1:08 to play before posting the halftime score, 39-36.

A Yori jumper with 7:43 to go in the third quarter forced a Devils timeout to spark a 5-1 FDU run to tie the game at 46 with 5:55 to play in the quarter. The Devils used an 8-6 run to maintain a one-point lead before a Devils foul on a three-point shot by Yori saw Yori connect for all three to take the lead 55-54 with one quarter remaining in regulation. The first 5:23 of the final quarter saw five lead changes and four ties as the teams were tied at 67 before the Devils used a 7-2 spark to take the lead, 74-69, with 2:25 on the game clock, forcing a Monarchs timeout.

A three by Morano and a steal by Prociak led to a Rajza transition layup to tie the contest at 74 with 1:49 to play. Both teams went scoreless over the next 1:32 before a driving Devil got fouled with 17.4 seconds to play and FDU connected on both attempts at the charity stripe. King's immediately called a timeout and advanced the ball to inbound in front of their bench, but the final possession of the game fell short and ended in a jump ball as time expired as the Monarchs fell, 76-74, in a conference heartbreaker.

King's (12-9, 6-4 MAC Freedom) paced by four in double figures, behind Prociak's eleventh double-double of the season, including her second straight, with 16 points and 10 rebounds, adding a team-high seven assists and two steals. Yori came out of a shooting slump to lead the offense with 22 points on 7-of-16 shooting, including three three's, and adding four assists and two steals. To round out the offensive effort was Rajza with 15 points on 6-of-13 shooting and Morano with 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting with five boards and two steals.

FDU (4-17, 2-8 MAC Freedom) was led by Angela Downey who totaled 24 points on 8-of-15 shooting from three. Three Devils added 13 a piece, including Helen Ishmael, Jennah Roman, and Jayda Bing. Ishmael recorded a double-double, adding a game-high 12 rebounds, while Roman added eight with five assists and three steals.

The Monarchs totaled 32 team rebounds in the loss and dished out 18 assists on their 28 made field goals. They also forced 21 Devils turnovers, committing 11 steals. Inside the box score, King's held the advantage in fast break points (14-7) and points off the bench (14-8), while totaling 34 points in the paint.

King's looks to bounce back as they head on the road on Wednesday, traveling to Doylestown, PA to take on the Aggies of Delaware Valley University in the night cap of the MAC Freedom doubleheader in James Work Gymnasium at 8:00 p.m.