CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – Led by Shalette Brown's (Somerset, N.J.) 21 points and nine rebounds, the top-ranked FDU-Florham women's basketball team earned a 69-59 Freedom Conference victory over DeSales University on Saturday afternoon.

Despite shooting 46.4 percent from the field, the Devils (15-0, 4-0 Freedom) were held to their second lowest scoring output of the season in the win.

In a rematch of last season's Freedom Conference Championship Game, the Devils started fast by pouncing on the Bulldogs (9-6, 3-1 Freedom) and racing out to a 20-4 lead. Senior guard Kara Dayon (Trenton, N.J.) drained a trio of 3-pointers and Alyssa McDonough (Parlin, N.J.) knocked down one as the Devils opened the contest 4-for-4 from downtown.

FDU-Florham maintained its hot-shooting ways throughout the stanza and led 37-24 at the break, thanks to a blistering 60 percent effort from long range and a 50 percent clip overall.  Dayon and McDonough combined to bury five of their six shots from three-point range as the senior Dayon netted a team-high 10 points in the first stanza.

Brown hauled in eight first-half boards, which helped the Devils hold a 20-8 disparity on the glass in the period.

In the second half, the nation's top-ranked team stretched its cushion to 19 points, 53-34, at the 13:39 mark. However, the Bulldogs found their stroke in the game's final 10 minutes and following a jumper from Megan Baird, the home team had clawed within five points at 64-59 with 1:01 to go.

The Devils were able to prevent the Bulldogs from getting any closer by taking care of business at the free throw line as Alicia Cox (Vineland, N.J.) and Leigh-Ann Lively (Bangor, Pa.) knocked down four-straight free throws to seal the victory.

DeSales connected on 52 percent of their shots in the second half but struggled from downtown, only making 1-of-7 from behind the arc.

In the win, Dayon finished with 16 points, four rebounds and two assists, while Cox chipped in with seven points, four rebounds and three assists.

For the Bulldogs, Morgan McCollian led the way with 20 points and eight boards.

The Devils remain on the road in their next contest as they take on conference foe Delaware Valley College on Wednesday, January 21 at 6 p.m.