HACKENSACK, N.J. – The Fairleigh Dickinson men's basketball team continues its four-game homestand on Saturday when the Bryant Bulldogs come to the Rothman Center.

Saturday's contest is game two of a Knights basketball doubleheader as the FDU women's team hosts Saint Francis U in the opener at 2 p.m.

Game 26
Fairleigh Dickinson (12-13, 7-6 NEC)
vs. Bryant (8-16, 5-8 NEC)
Date: Saturday, February 16
Time: 4:30 PM
Location: Rothman Center (Hackensack, N.J.)
Coverage: Live Stats
TV: NEC Front Row (Sitesh Shah and Darryl Jacobs)

The Series
All-Time Series...10-8
at FDU..4-4
Last Five..4-1
Streak..W3
Last Meeting...Fairleigh Dickinson 78, Bryant 63 (1/26/19 at Bryant)
The Knights extended their win streak to three by defeating Bryant 78-63 at Chace Athletics Center on January 26. Four Knights scored in double figures led by junior forward Kaleb Bishop, who finished with 20 points and four rebounds on 7-of-12 from the field and 6-of-7 from the free throw line.

In addition to Bishop's second career 20-point game, Mike Holloway Jr. scored 16 with seven boards, Xzavier Malone-Key tallied 12 with eight rebounds and Darnell Edge scored 10 with seven rebounds. The Knights outrebounded the Bulldogs 38-32 and held them to 6-of-23 (26.1 percent) from behind the arc. For Bryant, SaBastian Townes scored 18 points, while Joe Kasperzyk finished with 15 points, eight rebounds and four assists in the loss.

The Coaches

• Head Coach Greg Herenda is in his sixth season at the helm of the Knights. Last season, the Knights enjoyed their third consecutive .500 or better season in NEC play as Herenda led the team to a 9-9 conference mark. Under Herenda, the Knights have qualified for the NEC Tournament in four of his five seasons, including a 2016 NEC Championship when the team earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament featuring the third-youngest team in the nation.
• Jared Grasso, was tabbed to lead the Bryant program this season after most recently working for the last eight seasons at Iona, where he helped the Gaels to unparalleled success both at Iona and in the MAAC. Iona posted a record of 182-92 (.664) and a mark of 112-40 (.737) in the MAAC from 2010-18, as the Gaels staff led by Tim Cluess became the fastest to 100 MAAC wins in conference history. The Gaels made five NCAA Tournament appearances (2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018) in Grasso's eight years in New Rochelle, with the 2011-12 Iona team being one of just two in MAAC history to earn an at-large selection to the NCAA Tournament. A four-year starter and two-year captain at Quinnipiac as a guard, Grasso currently ranks 22^nd on theBobcats' all-time scoring list with 1,134 career points.

Scouting Bryant
The Bulldogs have dropped four straight games including a thrilling 105-104 loss on Thursday to Sacred Heart. In the loss, Adam Grant matched his career-high with 32 points but the Pioneers overcame a 16-point deficit to steal the win. In addition to their large lead, the Bulldogs also led by five with 53 seconds remaining before the Pioneers overtook the lead. Bryant set their Division I program records for points in regulation (104) and field-goal percentage (69.2) in the loss. The Bulldogs' biggest strength this season has been their ability to force turnovers as they rank third in the NEC in turnover margin (0.7). Grant, who is averaging 15 points per game, makes 2.6 3-pointers per game, which also ranks third in the conference. The junior guard is one of four Bulldogs averaging double figures in points this season with SaBastian Townes' 15.3 points per game pacing the group.

Opening Tip

• The Knights will look to get back on track following Thursday's one-sided loss to Saint Francis U as they play their second of four straight home games. In the loss, the Knights were limited to one scorer in double figures for the first time this season.
• This is the second meeting between the Knights and Bulldogs this season. The Knights rolled to a 78-63 win back on January 26 in
• Smithfield, R.I.
• The Knights currently hold a share of a three-way tie for fourth place in the NEC standings, while the Bulldogs in a three-way jam of their own for seventh.
• At home this season, the Knights boast an 8-4 mark and are averaging 82.2 points per contest on 48.9% shooting. They have won four of their last five at home.
• The Knights lead the NEC in FG% (46.5%), 3-PT FG% (38.3%), Assist/Turnover ratio (1.1), Steals (7.8) and Turnover Margin (1.5).
• Darnell Edge leads the NEC in both 3-pt FG% (44.5%) and FT% (87.8%).
• Jahlil Jenkins (36.9 mpg) and Edge (36.8 mpg) rank first and second in the NEC in minutes played. Jenkins is also tops in Assist/To ratio at 2.1.
• Mike Holloway Jr. grabbed career rebound No. 700 in last week's loss at Sacred Heart. He now ranks seventh all-time in rebounding at FDU (715) and 12t^h in points (1,353).

Knights Last Time Out
The Fairleigh Dickinson men's basketball team fell to Saint Francis U 87-62 at the Rothman Center on Thursday night.

The Knights were unable to slow the first-place Red Flash (13-11, 9-4 NEC), who led from wire-to-wire and extended their win streak to six with the victory.

Senior forward Mike Holloway Jr. was the lone Knight to reach double figures as he finished with a season-high 22 points on 10-of-13 shooting. Holloway added six rebounds to his ledger, while junior forward Kaleb Bishop finished with nine points, six rebounds and a career-high four blocked shots in the loss.

Keith Braxton paced the Red Flash with 21 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four steals, while Jamaal King scored 15 points with four assists and four steals. The Red Flash shot 50 percent from the field and made 12 3-pointers in the win.

The Burgundy and Blue lost the battle on the boards 40-31, shot 42.4 percent from the field and 35.3 percent (6-of-17) from three-point range.

Coach Herenda's Thoughts (following last Bryant meeting on 1/26)
"That was a very solid road conference win and it started with Mike and Kaleb in the paint on both sides of the ball."

"When our bigs play that way we can be a very special team. We just beat a team that has been playing really good basketball. I'm very proud of how this team took care of
business after a tough battle on Thursday night. It is not an easy turnaround game, especially traveling up here and preparing within 43 hours -- it's a testament to our conditioning and toughness. Now we need to rest and get ready for another week in the NEC."

Next Up
The Knights are home for a pair of NEC games next week. First up is a 7:00 p.m. tip-off on Thursday, February 21 against Sacred Heart.