Postgame Press Conference
Highlights
DAYTON, Ohio. – For the first time in its 70-year history, the Fairleigh Dickinson men's basketball team has won an NCAA Tournament game. The Knights defeated fellow 16-seed Prairie View A&M 82-76 in the First Four round of the NCAA Tournament on Tuesday night at University of Dayton arena.
The Knights (21-13), who earn their first NCAA Tournament victory in their sixth-ever appearance, will take on top-seeded Gonzaga on Thursday night in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Senior guard
Darnell Edge paced the Knights with a career-high 33 points in the contest on 9-of-13 from the field, including 7-of-9 from three-point range. With his first of seven 3-pointers in the game, the Saugerties, N.Y. native became the Knights' all-time leader in 3-pointers made with 194 for his career.
Sophomore
Jahlil Jenkins scored 20 of his 22 points in the second half to go along with six assists and four rebounds, while junior
Kaleb Bishop and senior
Mike Holloway Jr. each double-doubled. The duo each scored 10 points, while Holloway corralled 14 rebounds and Bishop nabbed 11.
The Burgundy and Blue shot 68 percent (17-of-25) in the second half and weathered 15 3-pointers by the Panthers, who led by seven at intermission.
The Panthers (22-13) nailed 15-of-28 (53.6 percent) from behind the arc led by Gary Blackson's 27-point effort. Chancellor Ellis came off of the bench and scored 12 on 4-of-6 from deep.
"Our guys made history tonight and I have never been around a group that deserved it more," said head coach
Greg Herenda following the historic win. "The perseverance, grit and heart that we played with tonight was truly incredible. Darnell played like a possessed man the entire night and Jahlil had a second half performance that will be remembered forever. It was a night, no pun intended, for the ages."
Herenda continued, "Obviously we did not have the first half that we anticipated but everyone had the same feeling all night long. We all felt that we would right the ship and eventually we did just that. Mike, Kaleb and Elyjah were awesome on the glass but ultimately that might have been one of the best guard combo performances that I have ever coached."
On the support of the Burgundy and Blue faithful Herenda said, "Our fan bus crew, our cheerleaders and everyone that made the trek to Dayton were awesome. They all never gave up on us and I cannot tell you how much that meant to our team. At the end of the game, we owned that building."
In the early going, Edge gave the Knights a 6-5 lead with the record-setting 3-pointer but the Panthers would respond with a 14-0 run. The feisty defense of the Panthers was front-and-center as they forced eight turnovers in the first eight minutes of the contest and captured a 19-6 lead midway through the opening half.
The Panthers hit five of their first six from behind the arc and held the Knights to just 2-for-9 over that same span. Edge ended the spurt and a nearly four-minute drought by scoring five straight points for the Burgundy and Blue.
Edge scored 18 points in the half on 6-of-10 shooting and the Knights trimmed the deficit to trail 41-34 at the break. The Panthers made 8-of-12 from behind the arc in the half led by Blackston and Ellis, who tallied eight points apiece. Ellis made all three of his trifectas in the half.
The Knights made 5-of-12 from deep and shot 43.3 percent but were hurt by 10 first-half turnovers.
The Panthers picked up where they left off as they drained two 3-pointers to open the second half.
Trailing 50-38, the Knights rattled off seven straight points, highlighted by Edge's fifth 3-pointer of the night and cut the deficit to five with 14 minutes to play in regulation.
Jenkins sprung to life in the second half and helped will the Knights all the way back from 13 points down to tie the game at 59 with 7:33 to go. On the ensuing possession, Holloway corralled a miss and laid it in through contact to put the Knights on top.
After the Panthers briefly regained the lead, the Knights took it back on a stepback 3-pointer by Jenkins with 4:23 remaining. Holloway followed with a bucket and Edge struck from deep as the Knights established their largest lead of the contest, 73-66, with 2:51 to go. Edge's trifecta capped a 10-0 run by the Burgundy and Blue and they never trailed again.
With the win, the Knights have now won nine straight games and 15 of their last 17 overall.
Herenda concluded, "Now we are off to Salt Lake to play a tremendous Gonzaga team. It will be a very quick turnaround but one that we will cherish. We will have to play much better on Thursday night but right now we will get on a plane and enjoy the ride."
