HACKENSACK, N.J. -- The Fairleigh Dickinson men's basketball team is set to officially tip off the 2018-19 season on Friday night when they take on in-state foe Rutgers at the RAC.

Game 1
Fairleigh Dickinson (13-18, 9-9 NEC)
at Rutgers (15-19, 3-15 Big Ten)*
*2017-18 records
Date: Friday, November 9
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Rutgers Athletic Center (RAC) - Piscataway, N.J.
Coverage: Big Ten Plus (Lou Brogno and Ralph Bednarczyk)
Radio: Rutgers IMG Sports Network
Live Stats

All-Time Series: Rutgers leads 13-2
Knights at Rutgers: 2-12
Last Five: 1-4
Streak: L4
First Meeting: Rutgers 74, FDU 72 (11/27/81 at RU)
Last FDU Win: FDU 73, Rutgers 72 (11/26/13 at RU)
Last Meeting: Rutgers 92, FDU 54 (12/9/17 at Rutgers)
freshman forward Noah Morgan led the Knights (3-6) with 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting to go along with four rebounds. Senior Darian Anderson finished with 12 points, totaled four rebounds and three assists, while junior forward Mike Holloway Jr. scored six points and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds. The Scarlet Knights (8-3), who entered the game first in the nation in offensive rebounding and third in total rebounds, won the battle on the glass 49-30. In addition to their work on the boards, the home team shot 53.2 percent from the field and 41.2 percent (7-of-17) from three-point range. Freshman guard Geo Baker and his junior backcourt mate Corey Sanders spearheaded the Scarlet Knights' attack with 19 points apiece. Baker amassed a double-double by dishing out 11 assists and scored his points on 7-of-11 shooting.

The Coaches

• Head Coach Greg Herenda is 2-3 in season openers at FDU including a one-point victory at St. Joseph's in 2014. The Knights have opened at Seton Hall each of the last two seasons after facing eventual NCAA Champion, Villanova in 2015. Herenda is 60-94 overall at FDU and 1-4 all-time against Rutgers.
• Steve Pikiell is set for his third season at the helm for Rutgers. He is 2-0 in his previous season openers and 30-37 overall.

The Teams

• FDU was picked second in the NEC Preseason Poll for the second year in a row. The team welcomes back four of its five starters from last season and eight players total.  The Burgundy & Blue earned a No. 6 seed in last season's NEC Tournament and knocked off No. 3 Saint Francis U before a one-point loss to eventual champion LIU Brooklyn in the NEC Semifinals.
• Rutgers features seven returners from 2017-18 and looks to continue its momentum from last season's BIG Ten Tournament run where it upset Minnesota and Indiana.

Opening Tip

• The Knights enter the 2018-19 campaign following an NEC Semifinal appearance last season.
• The team posted a 13-18 overall record with a 9-9 mark in Northeast Conference (NEC) play.
• The NEC Preseason Coaches' Poll selected the Burgundy & Blue to finish second this season with one first-place vote.
• Senior captains Darnell Edge and Mike Holloway Jr. are poised to lead the team this season after each earning All-NEC accolades a season ago. Edge, an All-NEC Third teamer, led the team in points, while boasting an NCAA-best 94.4 percent clip at the line. Holloway was an All-NEC Second Team honoree last season and garnered All-District honors, while netting his 1,000^th career point and 500^th career rebound. Holloway was named Preseason All-NEC at NEC Media Day
• Rutgers Director of Player Development Greg Vetrone spent four seasons (2009-13) as head coach at FDU.
• FDU freshman forward Marc Dadika's first cousin, Jake Dadika, is a graduate assistant on the Rutgers basketball staff and recently graduated after playing four seasons for the team.

Knights Last Time Out
The Knights ran away with an 86-61 victory in their exhibition contest against Post University at the Rothman Center on Thursday night. In their final tune-up of the preseason, the Knights posted four players in double-figures led by the senior guard Edge, who scored 21 points on 5-of-11 shooting with nine rebounds and three assists. The reigning NCAA Free-Throw Percentage champion also converted all nine of his shots from the charity stripe. Making his debut for the Knights, sophomore guard Xzavier Malone-Key poured in 16 points on 6-of-10 from the field to go along with four rebounds, three steals and two assists. Holloway Jr. and sophomore guard Jahlil Jenkins each tallied 13 points in the win.

Herenda's Thoughts
"Give Post tons of credit – they came in here and pressed us for 40 minutes and really sped us up but in the end we prevailed. We did so many good things tonight but obviously we still have some work to do. I really like our commitment to half-court defense but obviously we really need to rebound the ball so much better going forward. Our three guards are really fun to coach. They all can score and make plays in a myriad of ways and our bigs are terrific finishers. We are still very much a work in progress but I really love this team's ultimate upside."

Next Up
The 2018-19 home opener awaits the Knights when they welcome Queens College to the Rothman Center next Wednesday, November 14 at 7:00 p.m.