Game 13
Fairleigh Dickinson (4-8, 1-0 NEC) at Sacred Heart (5-9, 0-1 NEC)
Date: Sunday, December 31, 2017
Time: 2:30 p.m.
Location: William H. Pitt Center – Fairfield, Conn.
Coverage: NEC Front Row
Live Stats

After completing the 16^th toughest non-conference schedule in the nation (according to KenPom.com) with a 3-8 mark, the Fairleigh Dickinson men's basketball team opened up NEC action with an 82-71 victory over LIU Brooklyn on Friday. The Knights look to close out their seven-game road trip with another win on Sunday at Sacred Heart.
 
The Series... Sacred Heart leads 18-12
FDU at SHU..7-9
Streak...L1
Last Meeting... Sacred Heart 91, FDU 81 (2/16/17 at SHU)

Scouting Sacred Heart: The Pioneers posted a 5-8 record in their non-conference schedule before dropping Friday's NEC opener to St. Francis Brooklyn. The team played the game without the services of its top player, Joseph Lopez, who leads the team with 13.2 points and 9.2 rebounds per game this season. In the loss to the Terriers, the Pioneers were doomed by the 14 three-pointers they allowed. The longball proved to be too much for the Pioneers' 47.4 percent shooting performance to overcome. Redshirt senior Mario Matasovic led the Pios in the loss with 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting and grabbed nine boards. Rebounding has been the team's strength this season as they rank 39th in the nation with a +6.9 rebounding margin and 25th in total rebounds. The Pioneers head on the road to take on Wagner next Thursday. 
 
Knights of Late: The Knights enter Sunday off of an 82-71 victory in their NEC season opener on Friday at LIU Brooklyn. Sunday's contest marks the end of seven straight games away from home for FDU, who is currently 1-5 on the trip. The Knights recently wrapped up a non-conference schedule, which was ranked 16th toughest in the nation according to KenPom.com. The upperclassmen trio of Darian Anderson, Mike Holloway Jr. and Darnell Edge pace the team's attack with all three players averaging double figures this season led by Anderson's 14.1 ppg. The Knights take on CCSU in their NEC home opener next Thursday, January 4 at the Rothman Center.

Knights Last Time Out:
Led by a career-high 27 points from Mike Holloway Jr., the Fairleigh Dickinson men's basketball team won its Northeast Conference opener 82-71 over LIU Brooklyn at the Steinberg Wellness Center on Friday evening. Junior guard Darnell Edge scored 19 on an efficient 7-of-11 shooting effort and connected on 3-of-5 from behind the arc, while freshman forward Noah Morgan chipped in 13 points and eight rebounds in the victory.
 
The Knights, who entered the game averaging 9.1 steals per game --17th best in the nation -- turned the Blackbirds over 15 times with four players registering two or more steals. Senior guard Darian Anderson, who ranks second on the school's all-time steals list, nabbed two in the win to go along with 11 points, five assists and four rebounds. Freshman guard Jahlil Jenkins totaled three steals, scored seven and dished out five assists on the night.
 
Redshirt senior guard Joel Hernandez and junior swingman Raiquan Clark combined for 44 of the Blackbirds' (5-9, 0-1 NEC) 71 points. Hernandez double-doubled with 23 points and 10 rebounds, while Clark scored 21 with eight boards in the loss.

Herenda's postgame quotes –  "That was a hard-fought game and our guys just kept fighting for the entire 40 minutes. I am very proud of every player on our team tonight. It has been so long since our last victory but every day we have come into the gym and worked hard to improve and tonight's win is our reward." 
 
"On the road, we need to defend and take care of the ball and we did both very well tonight. To have four turnovers in 40 minutes at LIU is a real testament to our guards and our attention to detail. There is nothing like winning road conference games and we have one more before we finally get home."
"That is what Mike Holloway is capable of doing in this conference. He was immense but it really was a team win and he would tell you that himself."

NEC Openers: With Friday's win at LIU Brooklyn, Coach Greg Herenda improved to 5-0 in NEC openers since his arrival at FDU in 2013-14.
 
Holloway Leads the Way: In the Knights' NEC-opening win at LIU, Mike Holloway Jr. netted a career-high 27 points on 11-of-16 shooting. Twenty of Mike's 27 points came in the paint and the junior forward also grabbed nine rebounds in the win.
 
Protect the Rock: The Knights caused 15 turnovers in their win over LIU Brooklyn on Friday but the key was their ability to limit their own turnovers to just four. The four miscues is the fewest by the team in a game since 3/2/16 and the first time this season that the Knights have committed single-digit turnovers.
 
Record Book Update: Anderson continues his ascent up the FDU men's basketball record books and currently sits 10 points away from sole possession of ninth overall on the team's all-time scoring list. In addition to his 1,467 points, he has 512 made field goals (8th), 152 three-pointers (6th), 188 steals (2nd), and 332 assists (9th). Anderson already ranks second in steals and top 10 in field goals and three-pointers made. He was picked as Mid-Major Madness' NEC Preseason Player of the Year and named All-NEC Preseason Team.
 
Crash the Boards: In last Thursday's loss at Maryland, the Knights grabbed 18 offensive rebounds (36 total). The offensive rebound output is the most the team has totaled in a game since they grabbed 19 in a February 14, 2016 overtime win against Wagner. It's also the first time since 12/18/15 that the Knights have totaled the same number of offensive and defensive rebounds in a game.
 
Rookie of the Week: Freshman point guard Jahlil Jenkins took home Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week honors on December 18 after posting 10 points and seven assists in the Knights' last-minute loss at NJIT. Jenkins, who is second in the NEC among freshman in assists at 4.1 per game, came up with two key steals in the team's game against the Highlanders and leads the team with 17 thefts on the campaign.
 
Give Us That: Featuring one of the program's most adept defenders in Anderson, the Knights added a slew of speedy counterparts this season including freshman guard Jahlil Jenkins. Jenkins nabbed five steals against Princeton, while junior guard Darnell Edge totaled seven against Kean, which has helped the Knights to a 9.1 steals per game average this season -- 17th best in the NCAA.
 
Next Up: The Knights finally return to the Rothman Center for the first time since November 22 when they host Central Connecticut State next Thursday, January 4. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. in Hackensack.