Box Score

The Fairleigh Dickinson men's basketball team dropped its eighth-straight decision as they fell to LIU Brooklyn, 91-80, Thursday night in Northeast Conference action at Stratis Arena in Hackensack, NJ.  With the victory, the Blackbirds improve to 22-7 (16-1 NEC) on the season, while the Knights fall to 2-26 (1-16 NEC) overall.

Junior Melquan Bolding (Mt. Vernon, N.Y./Bishop Stepinac) led the Knights with 21 points on 8-of-16 shooting from the floor.  Graduate student George Goode (Raytown, MO/Raytown South) just missed a double-double with 16 points, nine rebounds and a season-high four blocked shots.  Junior Kinu Rochford (Brooklyn, N.Y./James Madison) picked up a double-double as he added 14 points and a team-high 12 rebounds.

FDU made a season-best 36 field goals on a season-high 77 attempts (46.8 percent), while LIU shot 46.2 percent (30-of-65) from the field.  The Blackbirds shot 30.0 percent (6-of-20) from three-point range and held the Knights to only 2-of-12 behind the arc. 

The biggest difference in the game came at the free throw line where LIU outscored FDU, 25-6.  The Blackbirds made 25-of-29 freebies, while the Knights converted only 6-of-11.

Trailing 48-43 early in the second half, Goode made a layup and a dunk to cut the lead to 48-47 with 17:34 remaining in the contest.  However, LIU responded with a 13-2 run to take a 61-49 lead with 13:19 left which gave the Blackbirds the breathing room they needed for the duration of the game.

With the game tied at 12 early on in the first half, LIU was able to go up five at 21-16 with 12:42 to go before halftime.

Back-to-back tip-ins by sophomore Ayotunde Oyeniyi (Lagos, Nigeria/The Rock School (FL)) allowed FDU to cut the lead to one before the Blackbirds were able to stretch the lead back out to six at 28-22.

Junior Lonnie Robinson (Deerfield Beach, Fla./Deerfield Beach)'s pretty bounce pass to Bolding for a layup cut the lead to 28-27 with 8:11 remaining in the first half.

After LIU once again went back up five points, freshman Dylan Moody (Philadelphia, Pa./Abington Friends) knocked down a long two-pointer to cut the lead back to one at 32-31 with 4:45 left before halftime.

The Blackbirds once again answered with a 12-4 run to take their largest lead of the half at 44-35 with 2:11 to go before halftime.

The Knights scored the last four points of the half to go into halftime down 44-39.

FDU shot 43.9 percent (18-of-41) over the opening 20 minutes but made only 2-of-7 from three-point range.  LIU shot 42.1 percent (16-of-38), made 4-of-11 from behind the arc and 8-of-9 from the charity strip.  The Knights only went 1-of-3 from the free throw line. 

Still trailing by five, Goode's two baskets cut the lead to one at 48-47 before the Blackbirds started their 13-2 run.

A layup by Rochford cut the lead to 52-49 with 15:57 remaining in the game, but that was the closest FDU would come the rest of the way as LIU was able to stretch its lead out to 15 on eight different occasions to cruise to the 91-80 victory.

The Knights shot 50 percent (18-of-36) in the second half but missed all five of their three-point attempts, while making 5-of-8 free throws.  The Blackbirds shot even better at 51.9 percent (14-of-27) but made only 2-of-9 from long distance.  However, they made 17-of-20 free throws.

Despite the loss, FDU played arguably its best offensive game of the season.  Besides setting season highs in field goals made and attempted, the Knights turned the ball over a season-low nine times and registered a season-best eight blocks.

LIU turned the ball over 12 times and out-rebounded FDU, 47-35.  The Blackbirds also outscored the Knights on the fast break, 20-8.

“We played very well tonight on offense, but if you want to beat a team like LIU, you have to make stops,” Head Coach Greg Verone said.  “LIU showed tonight why they are the top team in the conference.  We have one game left this season, and we need to end on a positive note.”

LIU's Jamal Olasewere led all scorers with 24 points and grabbed eight rebounds.  Julian Boyd added 21 points and a game-high 20 rebounds.  C.J. Garner chipped in 19 points and five assists, while Jason Brickman dished out a game-high 13 assists.

FDU will conclude its 2011-12 campaign this Saturday afternoon when they host St. Francis NY at Stratis Arena.  Goode and seniors Briahn Smith (Detroit, MI/Madison) and Sam Fernley (Sheffield, England/Silverdale) will be recognized with a pregame ceremony before they play their final game in a Knights' uniform.  Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.