WILKES-BARRE, PA (February 1, 2025) -- Trailing at the end of the third, the King's College women's basketball team out scored the visiting FDU-Florham, 24-13, in the fourth to stage a thrilling comeback and pull out the 79-73 victory on Saturday afternoon in McGrane Gymnasium. With the win in the Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) contest, the Monarchs start the second half of the conference slate as they improve to 7-12 overall and 3-5 in the standings, while the Devils drop to 6-13 with a 3-5 conference mark.
 
FDU-Florham (6-13, 3-5 MAC Freedom) seemed to have the early recipe for success, opening the game with a 6-0 run over the first 1:55 of play. King's (7-12, 3-5 MAC Freedom) closed within one twice throughout the quarter, but a late Devils surge to end the frame saw the Monarchs trailing, 20-13.
 
King's kept the game within reach throughout the second, before Claire Aufiero provided a spark off the bench in the final 2:34 of the half, assisting on four of the last five field goals and putting the final score on the board on a put back to make it a seven-point game, 42-35, at the half.
 
The teams traded scores early in the third, but trailing by 13 with 6:26 to go in the frame, King's began their comeback as a three in transition from Gianna Dickson sparked an 18-10 run to end the quarter and cut the deficit to just five entering the fourth.
 
Lauren Casey scored four of the Monarchs' first nine points of the fourth to take their first lead of the game, 64-60, with 7:16 remaining. The Devils recorded the next six points to regain the lead before the game went back-and-forth, featuring six lead changes and three ties in the next four minutes of action with FDU-Florham ahead, 73-72 with 1:15 to go. A layup from Casey off a key offensive rebound from Alli Lindsay, a 5-for-6 effort at the charity stripe, and some key defensive plays secured the win for King's as they held the Devils scoreless down the stretch on their way to the 79-73 win on Saturday afternoon.
 
Lindsay led four in double figures with a career-high 19 points to go along with seven rebounds, three assists, and a steal, while Casey finished with a double-double of 12 points and 10 boards with four dimes, three blocks, and a steal. Dickson had a strong outing with 17 points, nine rebounds, three steals, and two assists, and Kathy Shepherd came off the bench to bury four threes for 12 points with five boards. Aufiero finished with a team-high seven dimes with five points, three boards, and two steals, and Lewis added eight points, five assists, four rebounds, and three steals.
 
The Devils were led by Julia Vazquez with a game-high 21 points, while Kolby Lynch had a double-double of 14 points and 13 rebounds. Shannon Tighe also posted a double-double of 12 rebounds and 10 dimes.
 
King's shot 36.4% from the field, handing out 23 assists on their 28 baskets, while the defense limited the Devils to 28.6% (4-14) from beyond the arc and forced 14 turnovers. The Monarchs were narrowly edge in the rebounding margin, 49-48, but had the edge in points off turnovers (16-9), bench points (21-10), and fast-break points (20-13).
 
The Monarchs will head out for a Wednesday night road trip to DeSales University on February 5. Tip off is set for 7:00 p.m. in the MAC Freedom match up.