Game Notes | Live Stats | Live Video
HACKENSACK, N.J. – The Fairleigh Dickinson University men's basketball team will travel to Staten Island, N.Y. on Saturday, Jan. 5, to take on Wagner in an attempt to move to 2-0 in Northeast Conference action. Tipoff at the Spiro Sports Center is slated for 4 p.m. as part of a doubleheader with the FDU women's team.
The Knights are 6-7 on the year after defeating Mount St. Mary's, 72-65, in the NEC opener on Jan. 3. The senior trio of Kinu Rochford (Brooklyn, N.Y./James Madison), Melquan Bolding (Mt. Vernon, N.Y./Bishop Stepinac) and Lonnie Robinson (Deerfield Beach, Fla./Deerfield Beach) have led the Knights this season, each with double-digit points per game.
Rochford recorded his sixth double-double in nine games against The Mount with 12 points and 10 rebounds. He is currently averaging 17.3 points and 10.1 rebounds per game to lead the team in both categories. Bolding and Robinson are averaging 15.5 and 12.8 points per contest, respectively, and have both scored double-digit points in all but one game this year.
As a team, the Knights are averaging 67.8 points per game, while shooting a league-leading 46.8 percent from the field and 39.5 percent from beyond-the-arc. FDU has held opponents to a 49.1 percent shooting percentage, including 34 percent from three-point range.
The Seahawks are 7-5 this season and also began NEC competition with a win on Thursday with a 60-56 win over Monmouth at home, and were led by Marcus Burton's 15 points. The team is 4-0 in games at the Spiro Sports Center.
Wagner averages 58.5 points per game, while shooting 38.5 percent from the field and 27.7 percent from three-point range. The team brings down an average of 37.9 rebounds per game, the second highest in the conference.
After winning 25 games a season ago under former head coach Dan Hurley, the Seahawks are predicted to finish third in the Northeast Conference preseason coaches' poll this year. First-year Head Coach Bashir Mason returns four starters from last year's squad, including team leader Jonathan Williams.
Williams has paced the team with 15.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per contest this season. Ken Ortiz has added 10.5 points per game, while Latif Rivers rounds out the double-digit scoring for Wagner. Rivers, a 2011-12 all-conference player, has seen limited action this season but has averaged 10.0 points in three games.
Wagner leads the all-time series with 49 wins in 92 games since 1955. The Knights have won on 43 occasions with their last victory recorded on Feb. 11, 2010. The Seahawks have earned the edge in the last three meetings, including two 20+ point victories during the 2011-12 season.
Saturday's doubleheader can be viewed live at NECFrontRow.com and www.fduknights.com.
