Box Score Brooklyn, NY – Freshman
Darian Anderson (Washington, D.C./St. John's College ) scored a career-high 26 points, including 21 points in the first half and a free-throw with 42 second remaining to make it two possession game, to lead FDU to a 75-69 victory over LIU Brooklyn this evening. The Knights improve to 7-6 on the year and 2-0 in the Northeast Conference while LIU falls to 4-9 overall and 0-2 in the NEC.
"What can I say – I just love the spirit and he fight of this team," said head coach
Greg Herenda. "We practice very hard and we play very hard. We still have a lot of improving to do but this team continues to believe in themselves so much."
Led by Anderson's 21-point first half performance and a .625 shooting performance from the floor (15-24) FDU jumped out to a 40-30 lead heading into the intermission. LIU's only lead of the half came at 18:46 (2-3) on a 3-point jumper by Landon Atterberry but a jumper by Anderson on the ensuing possession gave the Knights a lead that they would not relinquish the rest of the half.
"Darian had one of the greatest halves I've ever seen a freshman have," continued Herenda. "Then you throw Marques, Earl and Stephan in the mix and you have a lot of talent on that freshman class."
In the second stanza, FDU extended its lead to as much as 13 (45-32 – 17:40) before LIU chopped away at that the margin, taking a 65-62 advantage with 4:24 to play. FDU closed out the final 4:00 of play on a 12-3 run to solidify the victory.
FDU senior captain
Mustafaa Jones (Philadelphia, Pa./Neumann-Goretti) added 10 of his 19 points in the second half to round out the Knights scoring in double figures. Jones also led the team in rebounds with 7 as the Knights won the battle on the boards outrebounding the Blackbirds 36-34.
FDU which converted on 17 of its 28 free-throw attempts, as compared to LIU's 23-33, knocked down six free throws over the final 1:02 to play.
The Knights will return to action on Thursday, January 8 as they host St. Francis-Brooklyn in the NEC home opener.
