Box Score
 
The Fairleigh Dickinson men's basketball team dropped its home opener Tuesday evening to Lehigh, 72-61, at Stratis Arena in Hackensack, NJ.  With the victory, the Mountain Hawks improve to 1-2 on the season, while the Knights fall to 0-2 overall.
 
Junior Kinu Rochford (Brooklyn, N.Y./James Madison) picked up his second-straight double-double with 18 points and a game-high 15 rebounds including nine on the offensive glass.  Junior Melquan Bolding (Mt. Vernon, N.Y./Bishop Stepinac), making his Knights' debut, added 12 points, while grad student George Goode (Raytown, MO/Raytown South) chipped in a career-high 10 points.
 
C.J. McCollum paced the Mountain Hawks with a game-high 23 points (17 in the second half) and six rebounds.  Gabe Knuston added 16 points (11 in the first half), and Mackey McKnight chipped in 12 points.
 
Both teams had trouble taking care of the basketball all night as the two combined for 43 turnovers (Lehigh-21, FDU-22).  Both teams also struggled with their shooting from the field as the visitors shot 38.9 percent from the floor (21-of-54), while the Knights connected on only 37.5 percent (27-of-72) of their shots.
 
The biggest difference in the game came at the free throw line where Lehigh attempted 20 more free throws than FDU.  The Mountain Hawks went 26-for-30 from the charity stripe, and the Knights only managed to go 4-for-10 from the line.
 
After the Knights held a brief lead to start the game, the Mountain Hawks were able to take early control as they took an early 14-8 lead at the 12:52 mark of the first half.
 
Down five, back-to-back three's by sophomore Mathias Seilund (Dragoer, Denmark/Falkonergaardens Gymnasium) and Bolding gave the Knights a brief 18-17 advantage with 7:55 left in the half.
 
Lehigh was able to regain the lead and extend it back to five before consecutive layups by Bolding and junior Lonnie Hayes (Cincinnati, Ohio/Harmony Prep) cut the lead to 25-24.  Hayes had a chance to tie the game with a three-point play, but he did not convert the free throw.
 
Over the final 3:20 of the first half, the Mountain Hawks were able to extend their lead to six heading into the break, 32-26.
 
The visitors made 12-of-15 free throws in the first half.  FDU missed its only attempt.
 
To open the second half, Lehigh outscored the Knights, 10-5, to take its largest lead at the time, 42-31, with 16:43 remaining in the game.
 
Six-straight points by Rochford cut the deficit to 42-37 at the 14:55 mark of the second half, but that was the closest the Knights would get.
 
Lehigh was able to take a 12-point lead on two different occasions, and FDU was able to cut the lead to seven multiple times but could never get a key defensive stop as Lehigh hung on for the 72-61 victory.
 
FDU won the rebounding battle, 43-38, and scored 16 second-chance points. 
 
The Knights also dished out 12 assists with Hayes leading the way with six. 
 
FDU will return to action on Friday, Nov. 18, when they host in-state rival Saint Peter's.  Tip-off at Stratis Arena is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in Hackensack, NJ.