Box Score

HACKENSACK, N.J. – The Fairleigh Dickinson men's basketball team fell to LIU Brooklyn by a final score of 80-76 on Saturday evening.  The Knights (7-12, 2-6 NEC) were led by 21 points from senior Mustafaa Jones (Philadelphia, Pa./Neumann-Goretti), while the Blackbirds' (7-12, 3-5 NEC) Martin Hermannsson also registered 21 points.

"That was a hard fought game and give LIU credit - they made the plays down the stretch," head coach Greg Herenda said after the game.

The Blackbirds led by two points at the break, 37-35, and also outscored the Knights, 43-41, by two in the second half.

LIU led by as many as 13 points in the first half and held a 20-10 advantage at the period's midway mark.  With 8:13 left to play LIU connected on a three-pointer to take a 25-12 lead, but the Knights would close the gap over the final minutes of the half and actually tie the game at 35-35 with 21 seconds remaining.

LIU would take the two-point lead into the break thanks to a pair of free throws with 2.2 seconds left in the period.

The largest lead of the second half was a seven-point advantage for LIU, but outside of that instance the teams were separated by just one or two possessions for the entire period.

Despite the close score, FDU did not lead over the final 10 minutes and tied the game just once over that span.

Senior Darius Stokes (Marion, Iowa/Linn-Mar) dropped in a layup with an assist from freshman Stephan Jiggetts (Forestville, Md./Bishop McNamara) to tie the game at 65-65 with 6:05 left to play.  A quick 5-1 run by the Blackbirds broke the tie and put LIU back up 71-66 with 3:06 remaining.

The Blackbirds sealed the victory by going 7-of-10 at the free throw line over the final two minutes of regulation.
Junior Xavier Harris (Philadelphia, Pa./Constitution) posted a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Jones' 21 points came on 6-of-12 shooting, including four-of-eight from beyond the arc.  He was also five-of-six at the free throw line.
Harris' shooting performance was four-of-nine from the floor and five-of-six at the free throw line.

"Mustafaa and Xavier had very good games for us and we had opportunities to get over the hump," Herenda added.  "We just didn't make the big shot or the big play."

As a team, the Knights shot 47.3% (26-55) from the floor and 30.0% (6-20) from range.  The Knights were also 72% (18-25) at the free throw line.  LIU Brooklyn was 22-of-55 from the field and 7-of-19 from three.  The Blackbirds also hit on 29-of-45 free throw attempts in the contest.

FDU held a 39-38 advantage in rebounding.  Harris was the only player to post double-digit rebounds in the game.  Freshmen Marques Townes (Edison, N.J./St. Joseph (Metuchen)) and Earl Potts Jr. (Severn, Md./Archbishop Spalding ) each grabbed six boards to follow Harris.

The 21 points give Jones back-to-back games with 20+ for the first time this season.

The Knights will return to action on Thursday, Jan. 29 at Robert Morris and then play again on Saturday, Jan. 31 at Saint Francis U.