The Fairleigh Dickinson University men's basketball team fell in non-conference action to visiting Longwood, 83-81, at the Stratis Arena on Monday evening. The Knights fall to 8-17 this season, while the Lancers improve to 8-16. FDU scored 52 points in the second half, after scoring only 29 points in the first 20 minutes, and shot 54 percent to erase a 28-point deficit, but it wasn't enough as Longwood halted FDU's comeback to hold on for the win.
Sean Baptiste (North Brunswick, NJ/St. Josephs of Metuchen) led the Knights with 30 points, connecting on 10-of-18, just one point shy of his season-high. This is his second 30-point game of the season and ninth game with more than 20 points. DeShawn Dockery (Chicago, IL/Worcester Academy) recorded a season-high 15 points, sinking 6-of-10 from the floor and Alvin Mofunanya (Englewood, NJ/Dwight Morrow) posted his third double-double of the season with 12 points and 14 rebounds and recorded his 100th career block, finishing the game with two.
Fairleigh Dickinson started the game with a Mike Scott (Philadelphia, PA/Texas Christian) steal that led to a dunk by Terence Grier (Cranford, NJ/St. Thomas More Prep), off an assist from Scott.
But both teams had trouble scoring as there were a combined 10 points in the first five minutes of the game. Longwood was able to grab hold of a 16-4 lead to start the game.
Mofunanya netted the Knights' next eight points to cut the Lancers' lead to single-digits, 18-10, with 11 minutes remaining in the half. But the Lancers used an 11-0 run, with all 11 points coming from Martiz Washington, to take hold of a 29-10 advantage with under nine minutes to play until the break.
Baptiste drove to the basket and sank the free throw after to cut Longwood's lead to 31-15.
Longwood, who took a 47-29 lead into the half, shot 53 percent from the floor in the first half, including 54 percent from three-point range, connecting on seven first-half treys. FDU shot 46 percent from the floor. Longwood's bench out-scored Fairleigh Dickinson, 23-4.
Baptiste led the Knights with 11 points, while Mofunanya added 10, as each went 4-for-7 in the first 20 minutes. Washington entered the half leading all scorers with 19 points.
A minute and a half into the second half, Dockery drained a three-pointer to make it a 52-34 game.
Baptiste's three made trimmed the Lancers' advantage to 54-37, but Longwood scored 11 unanswered points over a three minute span to take a 65-37 edge.
But the Knights turned on the offense late in the second half, making it a game. Baptiste converted a three-point play to cap a 20-3 run by the Knights over a stretch of eight minutes to cut Longwood's lead to 68-57 with 6:14 left to play.
Scott scored eight-straight points for the Knights to start the run and Baptiste had the final six points of the offensive spurt.
After a block from Mofunanya, Dockery drove to the hoop on the other end to cut Longwood's lead to single digits, 75-66. Sam Fernley (Sheffield, England/Silverdale) made two big three-pointers and Dockery sank both of his shots from the line to make it a five-point game, 78-73, with less than two minutes left to play.
Baptiste's three from the corner with 1:20 remaining in the game put the Knights within four and FDU stepped up the defense to earn a stop on the other end before Antwan Carter missed a pair from the stripe. Galvin had a put-back to turn what had been a 28-point deficit into a two-point Lancer lead, 80-78, with 26.2 seconds left. The lay-up from Galvin capped a 19-5 run by the Knights.
The Knights had three three-point opportunities but were unable to convert them into points. Baptiste hit a three as the buzzer sounded to make it an 83-81 final.
Fairleigh Dickinson shot 51 percent for the game, while the Lancers shot 48 percent. This game is the first time that the Knights have lost when out-shooting the opponent, as their record in those situations entering into Monday night's game was 7-0.
Longwood out-scored the Knights in points off turnovers, 23-8. The Lancers also held the advantage in turnovers, coughing up the ball eight times while forcing 19 turnovers by FDU. The Knights held a 41-30 edge on the boards.
"We came out flat in the first half," said Head Coach Greg Vetrone. "I'm disappointed with the mindset that the team started the game with. But they are nothing else if not resilient. I don't care how many points we are down, they don't give up. As long as there is time on the clock, they are going to keep playing."
Longwood had five players in double-digits, led by 19 first-half points by Washington and 19 points by Dana Smith. Kevin Swecker added 15 and Carter had a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Swecker and Washington each had four three-pointers.
The Knights return to conference action later in the week, hosting Wagner on Thursday, Feb. 11 at 7:00 p.m. The game will be televised live on MSG.
