SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas – The Fairleigh Dickinson University men's basketball team collected its second-consecutive win with an 84-70 victory over Prairie View A&M on Saturday, Nov. 24.  The win earned the Knights the Laguna Madre Division Championship at the South Padre Island Invitational.  FDU moves to 2-3 on the season, while the Panthers drop to 3-5.

After trailing by 13 points late in the first half, freshman Sekou Harris (Plainfield, N.J./Plainfield High School) led the Knights to their highest point total of the season.  Harris scored 25 points and dished out eight assists, while going 5-for-7 from three-point range.

Lonnie Robinson (Deerfield Beach, Fla./Deerfield Beach), Melquan Bolding (Mt. Vernon, N.Y./Bishop Stepinac) and Mustafaa Jones (Philadelphia, Pa./Neumann-Goretti) all added double-digit points for FDU.  Robinson scored 16 and was named to the All-Tournament Team, while Bolding scored 14 and Jones added 12.

Bolding led the team with 11 rebounds for his first double-double of the season and scored his 1,000^th career point in the win.

“Sekou Harris (Plainfield, N.J./Plainfield High School), a freshman, with 25 points and eight assists. I don't know if since I've been here, anyone has had a performance like that,” Head Coach Greg Vetrone said.  “But we also had Melquan getting 11 rebounds, Mustafaa Jones (Philadelphia, Pa./Neumann-Goretti) going 4-for-7, Xavier Harris (Philadelphia, Pa./Constitution) coming in when Kinu was in foul trouble. Plus Lonnie Robinson (Deerfield Beach, Fla./Deerfield Beach), he's Mr. Consistent, with 16 points and seven rebounds, he is the glue of the team.” 

Prairie View took the initial lead on two-consecutive sets of free throws.  Three-pointers from Sekou Harris (Plainfield, N.J./Plainfield High School) and Bolding gave the Knights a brief lead before the Panthers responded.

The teams exchanged the lead quickly before a traditional three-point play gave the Panthers a 10-9 lead that they did not relinquish in the first half.

The Knights shot 58.3 percent from the floor in the first 20 minutes but turned the ball over 16 times, enabling the Panthers to score 17 points on miscues.

A three-pointer and a jump shot from Sekou Harris (Plainfield, N.J./Plainfield High School) coupled with a layup by Bolding gave the Knights a 44-43 advantage two minutes into the second half. 

The teams challenged each other for the lead and traded the advantage 13 times in the first portion of the second half.

With eight minutes to play, Sekou Harris (Plainfield, N.J./Plainfield High School) was fouled on a three-point shot.  The rookie sank all three free-throws to give the Knights a 62-59 lead. 

Between the seven and three minute marks, the Knights increased their lead to 11 points with three pointers each from Sekou Harris (Plainfield, N.J./Plainfield High School) and Jones and a jump shot from Robinson. 

The Panthers continued to challenge the FDU defense but four points from senior Kinu Rochford (Brooklyn, N.Y./James Madison) in the final minute sealed the Knights' advantage at 14 points.

Overall, the Knights shot a season-high 52.7 percent from the field, while holding the Panthers to 46.7 percent.  FDU out-rebounded PVAM, 37-28, and dished out 18 assists compared to the Panthers' 14.  After struggling with turnovers in the first half, the Knights allowed only five in the second half, while forcing eight Panther turnovers.

“If we continue to build on this, day-to-day, week-to-week, as the season goes on and we become more comfortable with Sekou at the point guard position, I think we have a chance to be a good team,” Vetrone said.

The Knights travel back to the Garden State to face in-state opponent Saint Peter's University on Wednesday, Nov. 28.