The Fairleigh Dickinson University men's basketball team (4-3, 1-0 NEC) opened its' conference season with an 80-75 win over host Quinnipiac University (2-6, 0-2 NEC) on Saturday afternoon at Burt Kahn Court in Hamden, CT.
Andre Harris (Detroit, MI/Robichaud) led Fairleigh Dickinson with a career-high 25 points and 10 rebounds, notching his third double-double and fourth 20+ point game of the season. Manny Ubilla (Freehold, NJ/Freehold) finished the game with 17 points, Cameron Tyler (Jamaica, NY/Notre Dame Prep) had 11 points and Bernell Murray rounded out the Knights' four double-digit point scorers with 10.
The Knights went into the half ahead, 42-32, but Quinnipiac was able to make it a six point game, 55-49, early in the second half after out-scoring the Knights 6-1 over a two-minute span.
Eric Hazard drained a three-pointer to push the Knights' edge up, 59-51, but the Bobcats responded with five unanswered points to make it a three-point game, 59-56, with 7:33 on the clock. FDU regained the six-point lead on a jumper by Harris, 63-57, but the Bobcats kept it close, 65-62, with 5:01 left in regulation.
A 6-1 scoring spurt by FDU gave the Knights a 71-63 lead with just over three minutes, but Quinnipiac came back with six straight, capped by an Adam Gonzalez lay up, to make it a two-point game with just two minutes left to play.
Tyler hit a three-pointer to give Fairleigh Dickinson a five-point cushion and Ubilla followed it up by making the first of a pair from the line to give the Knights a 75-69 lead. Harris grabbed the rebound on the missed free throw and put it back in for an eight-point lead.
On the other end, Harris grabbed a key rebound and made one of two free throws. Ubilla's block left the game open for the Knights turn their lead back into a double-digits when Tyler sank two from the line. Quinnipiac netted six points in the final 14 seconds but it wasn't enough as the Knights walked away with the 80-75 win.
Murray tied up the start of the game at 7-7 with a shot from behind the arc and and then found Harris alone under the basket to make it 11-7. Jordan Ingram (Philadelphia, PA/Archbishop Carroll) had back-to-back buckets for the Knights and Harris followed his lead with two jumpers to increase the Knights' lead to 17-11.
Quinnipiac's Victor Akinyanju went in for a lay up to make it a three-point game, 19-16, with just under 10 minutes remaining but the Knights staged an 11-2 run on the strength of a perfect 8-for-8 performance from the charity stripe and a three-pointer from Ubilla.
Ubilla's second three of the half gave FDU a 13-point lead, 35-22, with 4:42 on the clock. Harris blocked a shot on the other end of the court, got the rebound and was fouled. He made the second shot of two to give the Knights their biggest lead of the half, 40-26. A floating jumper by Harris again gave the Knights a 14-point advantage but the Bobcats scored the final four points of the half.
FDU entered the half with a double-digit lead, 42-32, after making 15-of-17 from the line. Harris had 11 points entering the break, Ubilla had 10 and Ingram had eight first-half rebounds. Ingram finished the game with nine points and Tyler had seven rebounds. FDU out-rebounded Quinnipiac, 39-33.
"It was a good win and a great way to start the conference season," said Head Coach Tom Green. "The team continues to be led by Andre Harris (Detroit, MI/Robichaud), who is doing a great job. Today we also got some great contibutions from other players, like Manny Ubilla (Freehold, NJ/Freehold), who shot the ball really well."
"I think we're getting better at executing our offense and I'm very impressed with how we shot free throws. When you get a chance to go to the line you've got to make them." The Knights shot 72 percent from the line, while the Bobcats shot only 52 percent.
The Knights are back in action on Monday, Dec. 11 when they host Mercy at 7:00 p.m. at the Rothman Center in Hackensack, NJ.
