The Fairleigh Dickinson University men's basketball had a strong second-half performance to earn its third-straight Northeast Conference win, 83-74, on Saturday evening against Central Connecticut State. The Knights improve to 3-1 in league action, with a 4-12 overall record, while the Blue Devils fall to 4-10 on the season, with a 1-3 mark in NEC play.
Sean Baptiste (North Brunswick, NJ/St. Josephs of Metuchen) (North Brunswick, NJ) posted his third straight game in double-digits, scoring 26 points on a season-high 11 field goals while grabbing six rebounds. Mike Scott (Philadelphia, PA/Texas Christian) (Philadelphia, PA) matched his season-high with 21 points, his fifth-straight game scoring in double-digits, on perfect 5-for-5 shooting from the floor; Scott also dished out seven assists. Alvin Mofunanya (Englewood, NJ/Dwight Morrow) (Englewood, NJ) just missed a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds, adding three blocks. DeShawn Dockery (Chicago, IL/Worcester Academy) (Chicago, IL) made it the third-straight game that the Knights have had four scorers in double-digits with 11 points, going 3-for-4 from behind the arc.
The Knights took an 8-6 lead to start the game on back-to-back baskets by Baptiste and Terence Grier (Cranford, NJ/St. Thomas More Prep) (Cranford, NJ), who finished the game with nine points, and extended their lead to 15-10 as Dockery found Baptiste for a three-pointer. After Mofunanya swatted a shot, Baptiste put in a jumper with 12 minutes remaining.
Central took the lead on a three-pointer from Vince Rosario, but FDU tied the game, 20-20, on Kamil Svrdlik (Prerov, Czech Republic/Gymnazium Zlin)'s (Prerov, Czech Republic) offensive rebound and lay-in.
Robby Ptacek converted an old-fashioned three-point play, giving the Blue Devils the advantage, but Mofunanya cut it to a one-point game, 23-22, with seven minutes remaining.
Dockery cut the Blue Devils' lead down, 29-27, with a trey on an assist from Scott with 4:40 remaining, but Central staged a 10-2 run to grab the double-digit edge.
Central Connecticut took a 41-33 lead into the half, with Baptiste's 12 points leading all scorers, going 5-for-9 from the floor, while Rosario had 11 points to lead Central Conn. The Knights were out-rebounded in the first 20 minutes, 13-9, and Central Conn. held the advantage in shooting percentage, despite the Knights shooting over 50 percent (58-52 percent).
FDU staged an 8-2 run, with six points coming from Grier, to close the gap to 45-41, two and a half minutes into the second period.
Mofunanya sank two from the line and Scott found Baptiste under the basket to make it a one-point game, 49-48, with 14 minutes left to play.
After Central pushed it to a five-point lead on a three-pointer from Joe Seymore, Scott drove from end-to-end for a lay-up (52-50). Dockery drained a three and FDU forced a Blue Devil travel on other end, which led to a pair of free throws from Scott that tied the game with just over 11 minutes remaining. Scott finished the game 10-for-11 from the charity stripe.
The Knights took the lead, 57-55, after Mofunanya grabbed the defensive rebound and Scott pulled up on the other end for a long two from just inside the arc.
FDU made it a five-point lead, 62-57, on a jumper from Baptiste after Scott sank a three in front of the home bench. After Baptiste grabbed a steal on the defensive end, he hit a trey from the corner give FDU the 65-57 advantage.
Fairleigh Dickinson took a 71-61 lead after a 36-18 run over the course of 13:44 that was capped by Dockery sinking two from the free throw line with 4:45 on the clock.
Dockery sank his third three of the game for a 76-65 lead, but Central Connecticut had back-to-back baskets to cut the Knights' lead to seven with less than two minutes to play.
Scott sank both ends of a one-and-one to make it 79-70 and with 45.5 seconds left, he connected on another pair to give FDU the 81-72 edge. Mofunanya hit his two free throws with 21 seconds on the clock and Baptiste picked up the defensive rebound to put the game in the books as an 83-74 FDU win.
"This was a team effort," said Head Coach Greg Vetrone. "The defense in the second half was incredible. That game was the most physical one that we've had in the league so far. Central Connecticut is a little undersized, but they are tough. In the first half, we didn't match their intensity, but the second half we were able to come out and match it and that's how we took the lead. When we go up to Connecticut to play them again, it's going to be a very tough game, they cause a lot of match-up problems for us."
"Mike had another incredible game, Sean had a great game and it seemed like every big rebound we needed, Alvin was able to get," said Vetrone. "I told these guys in the locker room how proud I am of them. After we lost 10 games they could have quit, but they showed inner fortitude, fighting back. Since the last 12 minutes of that Sacred Heart game, this team believes in themselves, especially on this court, where they feel like they can win."
After shooting 52 percent in the first 20 minutes, the Knights shot 68 percent, finishing the game with a season-high 60 percent. FDU also posted a season-high 78.6 percent from the free throw line.
The Knights are back in action on Thursday, Jan. 14 when they play at Robert Morris at 7:30 p.m.
