Feb. 6, 2006

Box Score

HACKENSACK, NJ - A second-half surge led the Fairleigh Dickinson University men's basketball team to a 93-78 rout of visiting Robert Morris on Monday evening at the Rothman Center. The Knights used their seventh-straight victory to improve to 10-2 in the Northeast Conference and a 13-8 overall record, while the Colonials drop to 11-10 overall with a 7-5 mark in league play. Four of the Knights' starters recorded double-digits, with junior Andrea Crosariol (Abano T., Italy) leading the way with a career-high 24 points.

Senior Chad Timberlake (Brooklyn, NY) added 21 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Senior Gordon Klaiber (Greenbelt, MD) had 15 points. Crosariol was 11-for-14 from the floor, grabbing a game-high nine rebounds, while Timberlake recorded eight rebounds and seven assists. Sophomore Bernell Murray (Stillwater, OK) posted a game-high four steals.

Entering the second half with only a one-point advantage, 39-38, the Knights sparked an 11-4 over the first three minutes. The Knights then staged a 13-2 capped by a Crosariol dunk with just-under 12 minutes left to play.

The Colonials were able to cut the lead down to 11, but the Knights charged ahead with a 15-2 run to take their biggest lead of the game, 88-64, with 5:04 on the clock.

The Knights never relinquished their double-digit lead, winning 93-78. Fairleigh Dickinson had 17 points off turnovers in the second frame, while holding the Knights to six.

The lead changed hands seven times in the first half, with the Colonials using 12-straight points to take the first strong lead, 25-12. The Knights were able to cut the margin down to eight, 29-21, with 6:39 left in the first half. After an A.J. Jackson three-pointer pushed the Robert Morris advantage back up to double-digits, 32-21, the Knights staged a strong final three minutes to take back the lead entering the intermission.

The Knights closed out the half with a 10-2 spurt to enter the break ahead, 39-38.

"I think Robert Morris is a very talented team," said Head Coach Tom Green. "They scared me when they jumped out to that lead, but we regrouped at halftime. We started playing better defense and defending their perimeter shot better. We talked at halftime about how we had to go to Andrea down low and take advantage of the size differential. We had 11 turnovers in the first half and only three in the second, which played a big part. We were able to handle their pressure in the second half by executing our press break." Jackson led the Colonials with 17 points, while Derek Coleman and Tony Lee each had 16 points. Jeremy Chappell added 15 points.

The Knights are now 11-1 when they lead at the half and a perfect 12-0 when holding the advantage with five minutes remaining. This is the longest win streak the Knights have had since winning seven games in the 1999-2000 season, when they finished 17-11, 13-5 in the NEC.

Fairleigh Dickinson is back in action on Thursday, February 9 at 7:00 p.m.