HACKENSACK, N.J. – The defending Northeast Conference Champion Fairleigh Dickinson men's basketball team (2-9) begins conference play when they host Saint Francis U (3-8) on Thursday night at Stratis Arena.
 
These teams met three times last season with the Knights prevailing each time. The first outing was a 12-point victory for FDU but the final two meetings were much closer as the Knights prevailed with a four-point overtime win (Jan. 28) and a two-point victory (Mar. 2) in the NEC Tournament's opening game.

Notes: FDU Notes - SFU Notes
FDU Men's Basketball Report 12/28
 
Note: Children 12 and under can receive free general admission tickets for Thursday's game. An adult accompanying a child will receive a discounted $5 General Admission ticket.

Game Information:
Fairleigh Dickinson University (2-9) vs. Saint Francis University (3-8)
Where: Stratis Arena inside the Rothman Center – Hackensack, N.J.
When: Saturday, December 29 – 7:30 p.m.
Series History: FDU leads the all-time series 44-42
First Meeting:  Jan. 12, 1955 (SFU W, 61-52)
Last Meeting:  Mar. 2, 2016 – The Knights won all three meetings between these teams last season, including a 74-72 victory in the opening round of the NEC Tournament. In the win, the Knights were led by Darian Anderson game-high 22 points and a 15-point, 10-rebound double-double from Earl Potts Jr.

The Red Flash were led by a 21-point, 22-rebound performance by senior Ronnie Drinnon. Trailing 71-68 with less than three minutes left to play, Anderson and Potts hit three-pointers on back-to-back possessions to give FDU the lead for good. The win was FDU's first in the NEC Tournament since the 2005-06 season.
 

Broadcast Information:
Watch: NECFrontRow.com
Stats: Live Stats

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Saint Francis University Red Flash:
The Red Flash started the season 3-2, including three straight wins, however, since then the team has dropped its last six outings. Five of those six losses have come by double-digits with the exception of a tight, 73-70 loss to Binghamton.
 
In their last outing, the Red Flash fell 81-58 at Texas A&M. The Red Flash outscored the Aggies 39-35 in the second half and shot 54 percent.
 
Josh Nebo and Keith Braxton each had 11 points to lead Saint Francis, while Jamaal King added eight.
 
Saint Francis currently leads the NEC in scoring at 75 points per game and in field goal percentage at 45 percent.

The Red Flash have been one of the most efficient teams from 3-point range this season, connecting on 40.1 percent of their attempts, which is 23^rd best in the nation. The team has made 95-of-237 from downtown. Their 8.6 3-point field goals per game ranks 89^th nationally.
 
Additionally, the team has demonstrated a defensive diligence when it comes to committing fouls. The Red Flash are 13^th in the country in fouls committed at 179 (16.27 FPG).  
 
The team returns to the road for their next contest when they travel to Sacred Heart to visit the Pioneers on Saturday, December 31.

Head Coach: Rob Krimmel (Saint Francis '00)
Record at Saint Francis: 47-87 (fifth season)

Team Leaders:
Points: Jamaal King 13.5 ppg
Rebounds: Keith Braxton 8.5 rpg
Assists: Jamaal King 3.7 apg
 
Last Time Out for the Knights:
Fairleigh Dickinson was handled 119-68 by No. 23/25 Cincinnati on December 17 at Fifth Third Arena.
 
The Bearcats (9-2) were locked in from the opening tip as they forced the Knights to commit a season-high 22 turnovers and shot 64.7 percent from the field.
 
Stephan Jiggetts paced the Knights with a team-high 24 points to go along with five assists. Jiggetts converted 11-of-12 (91.6%) from the line as the Knights registered a season-best 90.9 percent (20-for-22) clip at the charity stripe.
 
Cincinnati, who entered the game known for its defensive prowess, buried 12-of-25 (48%) from 3-point range. Prior to Saturday's win, the team had shot just 29.6 from behind the arc this season

The nationally-ranked Bearcat's stifling defense held the Knights to a season-worst 31.7 percent field goal percentage.
  
Darian Anderson was the lone other Knight to score double-digits and finished with 13 points and three rebounds. Sophomore forward Nadi Beciri came off the bench and led the team with six rebounds in his 16 minutes of action.


Herenda's Take: 
"The Bearcats were obviously rested and ready for us today. They are, at the very least a Top 25 team and they showed it today. When they shoot like that in this building its scary." 
 
"I have to be honest, I think the turnaround from a very physical game at Rutgers a few nights ago did not help. We were a step slow to a lot today and Cincinnati was and is ultra-quick and athletic at both ends of the floor."
 
"What we need now most is to rest and recover. I am still so very proud of my guys. We just went through a scheduling gauntlet and it will only make us a better team going forward. 

News and Notes: 
3-0 Last Season: The Knights swept all three meetings with the Red Flash last season. The two games at Stratis Arena came down to the wire as the Knights pulled out a four-point overtime win in the regular season finale and a 74-72 victory in the opening round of the NEC Tournament.
 
Edge Excelled: Sophomore guard Darnell Edge netted a career-high 20 points in the Knights' 86-82 overtime win last season. In the win, Edge was red-hot, connecting on 7-of-11 shots overall and 4-of-7 from downtown. Edge was one of six Knights to score in double figures that game.
 
NEC Openers: The Knights are a perfect 3-0 under Greg Herenda in conference opening games and have won their last four conference openers overall.
 
Unkind Non-Conference: The Knights played one of the most difficult non-conference slates in the nation this season. Through the 11-game stretch the Knights' opponents totaled a combined record of 61-37 (.622). The team played nine of those 11 contests away from home, including trips to perennial powerhouses Ohio State and No. 23 Cincinnati.
 
According to KenPom.com, the Knights have faced the 10th toughest defensive schedule in the country this season.
 
Newest Member: With his 24th point against Towson on December 10,  Darian Anderson became the latest Knight to join the career 1,000- point club. Anderson finished with a new career-high 33 points to go along with a career-best six made 3-pointers. As a team, the Knights knocked down a season-high 12 trifectas in the loss.
 
Herenda Show: On this week's "The Greg Herenda Show", Coach G is joined by ESPN college basketball analyst Jeff Goodman.
 
Next up:
The Knights are home again for their next contest as they host Robert Morris this Saturday, December 31 at 3:00 p.m.