HACKENSACK, N.J. – A tough afternoon offensively didn't completely dampen the holiday spirits of the Colgate contingent in a 61-51 loss to Fairleigh Dickinson here Wednesday.
 
Raiders head coach Bill Cleary lauded his team's effort on the defensive end as Colgate allowed a season-low point total and held the opposition under 40 percent shooting for the fourth time in five games.
 
Offensively, it was one of those days. The Raiders scored exactly 12 points in each of the first three quarters and then went 2½ minutes into the crucial fourth before denting the scoreboard.
 
By that time, FDU led 47-36.
 
The hosts built the lead to as large as 51-38 and held off a late Raider rally attempt while improving to 4-1 on the young season.
 
The Raiders shot a season-low 34.5 percent from the floor after entering the game at 43.5 percent, or second best in the Patriot League. Colgate was just 2-of-16 from downtown, matching the season low for percentage.
 
Rachel Thompson tied for game honors and led the Raiders with a season-high 17 points. Summer King scored six in the first quarter on her way to a 10-point game. She added seven rebounds and five assists to lead Colgate in both categories.
 
FDU's Kamrin Weimer paced the winners with 17 points thanks to a 5-of-8 effort from 3-point distance. The Knights were 7-of-15 from downtown for the game.
 
Bottom Line
Fairleigh Dickinson 61, Colgate 51
 
Won-Lost Records
• Colgate is now 2-3.
• Fairleigh Dickinson improved to 4-1.
 
Facts & Figures
• FDU was just 3-of-18 in the first quarter but turned that around to 8-of-11 in the second while outscoring Colgate 23-12.
• Seven straight points from Thompson in the second quarter kept the Raiders within striking distance, but FDU led 31-24 at halftime.
• Weimer was 3-of-3 and the Knights 4-of-4 as a team from downtown during that second period.
• Thompson grabbed six rebounds and has 22 over her last three games.
• Nia Ahart and Thompson had four steals apiece. Ahart's total is a season high and Thompson matched her season best.
• Mylah Chandler scored a season-high seven and pulled down six boards.
• Colgate scored twice on buzzer-beaters.
• Mackenzie Carroll connected on a corner three to end the first quarter and give Colgate a 12-8 lead. Chandler's putback at the end of the third made it 43-36 FDU.
• Colgate scored six in a row and trailed just 51-44 with 3:07 to play, but FDU's Peniel M'Bikata sank a 3-pointer with 2:46 remaining to quell the final chance at a rally.
 
From the Source
• Colgate head coach Bill Cleary: (On the game) "Obviously, this was a setback here today and we are not happy with the outcome. But when we talked as a group after the game, there were a lot of positive things to take from it. One of the things I was really proud of is they understand our defense has gotten better. They understand it's going to start on our defensive end. They said they learned from this game that they can't let our offense dictate whether we are playing a good game or not, that we must have more pride on the defensive end. If we do that, we will make life easier for ourselves on the offensive end.
 
"Those are the things we are able to take away and I'll take that as a big positive. We keep saying it's a process, it's a process. I'm guilty more than anybody in that I want this thing turned around yesterday. But it's a day-by-day process, and for our players to understand that is big for us."
 
Gate Grab Bag
• Attendance at Stratis Arena inside the Rothman Center was around 350.
• Wednesday's game was the first of a women's-men's doubleheader, with FDU hosting Holy Cross in the nightcap.
 
Up Next
• Colgate wraps up its opening six-game road series Sunday at Towson.
• The Tigers are 1-3 after Wednesday's 95-64 home win over UMBC.
• Tipoff is 2 p.m., with livestream available via StretchInternet.