HAMDEN, Conn. – The Fairleigh Dickinson University men's basketball team lost a long-fought battle to Quinnipiac, 58-56, on Saturday, Jan. 26 at the TD Bank Sports Center.  The Knights drop to 7-14 on the season with a 2-6 mark in Northeast Conference action, while the Bobcats improve to 7-12 with an even 4-4 conference record.

The Knights trailed by as many as 11 points before a 12-0 run by FDU cut the deficit in the second half.  The teams battled to the end of the game but the Bobcats' opportunities from the free throw line and prowess in rebounding helped QU edge FDU in the final minute of the game.

The opening minutes of the game saw long-range shots from both teams.  Melquan Bolding (Mt. Vernon, N.Y./Bishop Stepinac) and Sidney Sanders Jr. (Charleston, S.C./Burke) sank buckets from beyond-the-arc to give FDU an 8-3 lead early on, but the Bobcats responded with four made three-pointers on five attempts to take a 14-11 lead six minutes into the bout. 

The teams traded empty possessions for several minutes before a layup by Yves Jules (Brooklyn, N.Y./Canarsie) cut the deficit to one point.  Quinnipiac created an offensive surge near the eight minute mark and took a 25-18 advantage on an 11-5 run.

The Bobcats capitalized free-throw attempts in the final minutes of the half to take a 32-23 lead at the break. 

The Knights outshot Quinnipiac from the floor in the first half, 38.1 to 32.4 percent, but both teams were well below their season average.  The Bobcats held the advantage on the glass, 24-14, with 12 offensive rebounds and 10 second-chance points.

The Bobcats started the second half with a layup by leading scorer Ike Azotam to take an 11-point lead.  The Knights produced a 12-0, run capped off by five consecutive points from junior Mathias Seilund (Dragoer, Denmark/Falkonergaardens Gymnasium), to go ahead 35-34 three minutes into the second half.

FDU and Quinnipiac battled for baskets and the lead through the next several minutes before a three-point shot by Lonnie Robinson (Deerfield Beach, Fla./Deerfield Beach) gave FDU a burst of momentum midway through the half.

Quinnipiac responded a minute later with a three-point play and followed by a dunk to gain a 48-45 lead with nine minutes remaining.  The Bobcats increased their lead to four points before a Sanders three-pointer brought the Knights within one point with 4:30 left to play.

The Bobcats once again increased their lead to five points on a three-point shot with three minutes to play.  The Knights retaliated and senior Kinu Rochford (Brooklyn, N.Y./James Madison) was fouled while making a crucial layup for FDU with 1:23 left on the clock.  Rochford sank the free throw to bring the Knights within two points, 56-54.

The Knights fouled QU to regain possession and cut the deficit to one point with 18 seconds to play on a layup by Robinson. 

The Bobcats sank one of two free throws with 13 seconds left to play but the Knights' shot attempt was blocked on their final full possession.  QU missed their final free throw of the contest with two seconds left.  Mustafaa Jones (Philadelphia, Pa./Neumann-Goretti)' half-court attempt at the buzzer hit the corner of the rim but could not save the Knights from a 58-56 defeat.

Overall, the Knights outshot QU, 44.7 to 32.8 percent.  The Knights also held the advantage in shots from beyond-the-arc, 37.5 to 30.4 percent.  The difference in shooting was at the free throw line.  FDU made just 8-of-18 shots from the charity stripe, while QU sank 11-of-18.

After being outrebounded 24-14 in the first half, the Knights fought hard on the boards and fell behind by just two rebounds in the second half, 20-18.  The Knights outscored QU, 33-26, in the second half.

Rochford led the Knights' offensive effort with 14 points on the day, while Sanders added 11 points and a career high seven assists.  Both players grabbed five rebounds for FDU, while freshman Xavier Harris (Philadelphia, Pa./Constitution) led the rebounding effort with six. 

“I'm proud of my guys and the way we played today,” said Head Coach Greg Vetrone.  “But you cannot win a Division I basketball game going 8-for-18 from the free throw line.”

The Knights will host Bryant University on Thursday, Jan. 31 at Stratis Arena.  The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN3 and Fox College Sports.