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HACKENSACK, N.J. – The Fairleigh Dickinson men's basketball team looks to remain on top of the Northeast Conference as it travels to Smithfield, Rhode Island for a televised match-up with the Bryant Bulldogs on Thursday, February 11.  The Knights (12-11, 8-4 NEC) and Bulldogs (7-18, 4-8 NEC) are scheduled for a 9 p.m. tip-off with the game broadcast live on MSG Network, Fox College Sports and Cox Sports.
 
GAME DETAILS
FDU (12-11, 8-4 NEC) vs. Bryant (7-18, 4-8 NEC)
Where: Chace Athletic Center – Smithfield, R.I.
When: Thursday, February 11, 2016 – 9 p.m.
Series History: Bryant leads 7-5
First Meeting: 1/17/09 – Bryant W, 56-43
Last Meeting: 1/4/16 – Bryant W, 85-80
Last FDU Win: 2/20/14 – FDU W, 63-52

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After missing the playoffs last season and being selected ninth in the preseason coaches' poll, the 2015-16 Knights have surged to the top of the NEC standings with one of the youngest rosters in the nation and an offense that ranks first in the league in scoring (77.5 ppg).  The Bulldogs were picked third in the preseason, but after a 4-1 start to conference play Bryant has lost seven straight.
 
Series History:  This is just the 13th meeting between the Knights and the Bulldogs in a series that only began in January of 2009.  Bryant holds a 7-5 advantage in the series after a win against FDU on January 4, 2016.  Under head coach Greg Herenda the Knights have a 1-4 record against the Bulldogs with the victory coming on the road at the Chace Athletic Center on February 20, 2014.  A victory today would give the Knights a split in the season series.
 
Climbing the National Rankings (As of 2/9):  The Knights rank among the top teams nationally in several statistical categories this season, particularly when it comes to steals and turnovers.  FDU ranks 20th nationally in steals per game at 8.2.  The team is also 25th in total steals (189) and 22nd in turnover margin (3.0).  The Knights also rank among the top-30 percent of teams in scoring (81st at 77.5 ppg) and field goal percentage (100 at 45.5%).  Individually, Darian Anderson (Washington, D.C./St. John's College ) ranks 48th in steals per game (1.87) and 47th in total steals (43).
 
On NEC TV:  The Fairleigh Dickinson men's basketball team will appear in the NEC Television Package three times over the next two weeks, starting with tonight's game against Bryant on MSG, FCS and Cox Sports.  FDU's next game, Saturday, February 13 at 6 p.m., against Robert Morris at Stratis Arena inside the Rothman Center will also air on MSG.  Finally, FDU's men's and women's basketball doubleheader against Sacred Heart on February 20 will be broadcast on ESPN3.
 
The Starting Lineup:  The Knights have had a rather consistent, but young, starting lineup this season with sophomores Darian Anderson (Washington, D.C./St. John's College ) and Marques Townes (Edison, N.J./St. Joseph (Metuchen)) playing and starting all 23 games.  Sophomores Earl Potts Jr. (Severn, Md./Archbishop Spalding ) (22) and Stephan Jiggetts (Forestville, Md./Bishop McNamara) (21) as well as freshman Mike Holloway (Pittsgrove, N.J./Arthur P. Schalick ) (20) have all started 20+ games this season.  Of the 115 possible starting spots for the Knights this season, 110 (or 95%) have been filled by sophomores and freshman.
 
Jiggetts Gets to the Free Throw Line:  Sophomore Stephan Jiggetts (Forestville, Md./Bishop McNamara) has excelled at getting to the free throw line this season.  Jiggetts has 114 free throw attempts on the year with 85 makes for a 74.6% mark at the line.  He has been even better from the line during NEC play with 45 made free throws in 54 attempts a 83.3% mark. 
 
Anderson's Numbers across the Board:  Sophomore Darian Anderson (Washington, D.C./St. John's College ) leads the Knights in scoring (14.5 ppg), assists (86), free throw percentage (81.9%) and minutes played (761).  He is shooting an incredible 90% (45-of-50) from the free throw line in NEC play.  For his career, Anderson is just 36 points shy of 700 for his career and needs six more steals to reach 100 as a Knight.  He also enters tonight with 11 career 20-point scoring games.
 
The Improvement of Earl Potts Jr. (Severn, Md./Archbishop Spalding ):  Sophomore Earl Potts Jr. (Severn, Md./Archbishop Spalding ) posted 6.6 points and 2.9 rebounds per game last season as a freshman for FDU.  This year he has doubled both of those marks to 13.7 ppg and 6.2 rpg.  A big reason for the offensive improvement is higher shooting percentages.  In 2014-15, Potts shot 41.4% from the field and 24.1% from long range.  This season those numbers are 48.7% from the floor and 36.7% from beyond the arc.
 
Townes Delivering in Conference:  Sophomore Marques Townes (Edison, N.J./St. Joseph (Metuchen)) has delivered so far in NEC play, especially recently with six straight games of 12 or more points.  Townes is FDU's second leading scorer in NEC play at 13.6 points per game.  He is also third on the team in rebounding at 4.7 rpg in conference, while shooting at a 50% (63-of-124) clip against league opponents.
 
Big Contributions from Big Mike:  Freshman forward Mike Holloway (Pittsgrove, N.J./Arthur P. Schalick ) has made an impact this season for the Knights with his performance in NEC play really standing out.  Holloway is averaging 10.8 points per game and 5.4 rebounds per game against NEC opponents.  He is making 62% (44-of-71) of his shots in conference and has blocked 16 shots.  His biggest area of improvement between non-conference and NEC play has been at the free throw line.  Holloway is hitting 72.1% (31-of-43) of his free throws in conference after making just 10-of-25 (40%) during non-conference play.