Live Stats    Game Notes

The Fairleigh Dickinson men's basketball team will look to pick up its first Northeast Conference home win of the season when they host Monmouth on Wednesday evening at Stratis Arena to conclude a mini three-game home stand.  Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in Hackensack, NJ and will be televised on Fox College Sports and ESPN 3.
 
The contest between the Knights and the Hawks commences the third annual NEC Rivalry Week which runs from Feb. 8 – Feb. 15.  After Wednesday's game, both teams will compete against each other on Saturday, Feb. 11 at Monmouth's Multipurpose Activity Center in West Long Branch, NJ.
 
The Knights (2-21, 1-11 NEC), who were only down three at the half, 30-27, were victims of a big 23-9 run by Sacred Heart that started at the end of the first half and led the Pioneers to a 66-57 victory this past Saturday at Stratis Arena.  Shooting was the biggest difference in the game as the Knights shot only 39.3 percent (22-of-56) from the floor and only connected on 4-of-24 from three-point range.  Sacred Heart shot 46.3 percent (25-of-54) including 52 percent (13-of-25) in the second half.  The Pioneers also made 6-of-17 from behind the arc.  The Knights dished out a season-best 19 assists on their 22 made baskets, while turning the ball over 13 times.  They forced Sacred Heart into 14 turnovers but lost the rebounding battle, 34-29.  The Pioneers outscored FDU, 11-4, on second-chance points.  The Knights also went 9-of-10 from the free throw line, and the Pioneers made 10-of-13 freebies.
 
Graduate student George Goode (Raytown, MO/Raytown South) flirted with a triple-double as he scored a game-high 19 points, pulled down a team-high nine rebounds and dished out a career-best six assists to lead FDU.  Senior Briahn Smith (Detroit, MI/Madison) added 14 points to tie his season high.
 
Scouting Monmouth: The Hawks (7-18, 5-7 NEC), who were picked to finish tenth in the Northeast Conference, currently sits in a two-way tie for seventh place and would make the NEC Tournament if it started today.  Monmouth had a three-game win streak snapped this past Saturday to Quinnipiac at home, 71-48.  The Hawks are playing their best basketball of the season after starting out 0-8 under first-year head coach King Rice.  They have won four out of their last six after going 3-16 over their first 19 contests.  Monmouth and FDU have common non-conference opponents in Albany and Lafayette and both lost by double-digits to each team.
 
Senior Jesse Steele leads the Hawks in scoring at 12.6 ppg and has dished out a team-best 99 assists.  He is shooting 35.3 percent (49-of-139) from three-point range and 83.6 percent (51-of-61) from the free throw line.  Junior Ed Waite is the team's leading rebounder at 5.6 rpg and is shooting 46.1 percent (71-of-154) from the field 

All-Time Series: This will be the 68th meeting between the Garden State institutions as they have competed against each other at least once every year since the 1978-79 season.  The Knights hold a 37-30 advantage in the series which started during the 1972-73 campaign.  The Hawks swept the season-series last season as they won both contests by 11 during the second annual NEC Rivalry Week.  Two seasons ago, FDU swept both contests during the inaugural rivalry week to earn a four-game win streak against its rival and victories in seven the past eight games in the series.  The Knights are 21-16 all-time against the Hawks on their home court including 15-15 at Stratis Arena.