Box Score STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – The Fairleigh Dickinson men's basketball team delivered an incredible second half defensive effort to force overtime, but it was not enough as the Seahawks (9-16, 7-7 NEC) edged out a 83-79 victory on Saturday afternoon. The Knights (7-18, 2-12 NEC) scored 35 second half points and limited Wagner to just 18 to force the game into overtime.
Wagner led 53-36 at the half, but FDU came out of the break on fire and scored the first 10 points of the period to quickly chip away at the 17-point deficit. The FDU defense limited the Seahawks to just one made field goal over the first 13 minutes of the second half and to three total in the period. Wagner shot just 13.6% in the second half after connecting at a 58.6% mark in the first period.
Wagner added just one made field goal in overtime, but hit 10-of-12 free throws in the extra period and 12-of-15 in the second half.
Redshirt freshman
Stephan Jiggetts (Forestville, Md./Bishop McNamara) scored 13 of his team-high 17 points in the second half. He was clutch down the stretch for the Knights hitting a game tying three with 4:53 left to play and a go ahead three on the ensuing possession to give FDU a 67-64 lead with 3:54 left to play. Jiggetts followed that by hitting two free throws to tie the game at 69-69 with 2:08 remaining and then connecting twice more at the line to give FDU a 71-69 lead with just under a minute to play.
Wagner answered the Jiggetts free throws with a game tying layup by Mike Aaman with 31 seconds left to play. Aaman finished the game with 20 points and 23 rebounds with seven points and four rebounds coming in overtime.
"It's a shame that we didn't come out of here with a win because that was one of the best second half comebacks we've had here at FDU," head coach
Greg Herenda said after the game. "We arguably played our best twenty minutes of defense in the second half, but we just couldn't come down with a big rebound."
Jiggetts led the Knights with a career-high 17 points on 4-of-10 shooting. He was locked in from beyond the arc hitting four three pointers in five attempts. He was also five-of-six at the free throw line and grabbed five rebounds.
"Stephan gave us a huge boost off of the bench. I just love how all of our freshman have stepped up and played big at big spots. We are obviously a work in progress, but I love this team's eventual upside."
Sophomore
Matt MacDonald (Buffalo, N.Y./Canisius) (14), senior
Mustafaa Jones (Philadelphia, Pa./Neumann-Goretti) (13) and freshman
Darian Anderson (Washington, D.C./St. John's College ) (10) also scored in double figures.
In addition to his 10 points, Anderson also grabbed seven rebounds, dished out eight assists and was credited with six steals in 32 minutes of action.
Sophomore
Myles Mann (Atlanta, Ga./Westlake) came off the bench to give the Knights a boost with five points and a team-high eight rebounds. Mann's five points matched his career-high, while his eight boards set a new career best.
The Knights shot 42.1% (24-57) from the field and 44.4% (8-18) from beyond the arc. Wagner was 35.6% (21-59) from the floor and 33.3% (5-15) from long range. FDU connected on 23-of-34 free throw attempts, while the Seahawks were 36-of-48 at the line in the game.
"I know that I've said this before, but I am so proud of my guys and their effort. They really deserve more than they are getting right now, but that's the harsh reality of college basketball," Herenda added.
FDU forced the Seahawks into 15 turnovers, while committing just 13. The Knights were also credited with 11 steals in the game.
Marcus Burton posted a game-high 31 points for Wagner
The Knights return to action on Thursday, Feb. 19 against St. Francis Brooklyn. FDU will also travel to Mount St. Mary's on Saturday, Feb. 21 before closing the regular season with home games against Sacred Heart (Feb. 26) and CCSU (Feb. 28).
