Postgame Press Conference (FDU 19:40 mark)
Highlights
FDU Basketball Postseason Content Central

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah. – The Fairleigh Dickinson men's basketball team's historic 2018-19 campaign came to an end on Thursday night as they fell 87-49 to the West Region's top seed Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament First Round at Vivint Smart Home Arena.
 
The Knights' (21-14) record-setting season concludes with the first-round loss to the Bulldogs (31-3), who advance to take on the winner of the #8 Syracuse/#9 Baylor matchup.
 
For the Burgundy and Blue, seniors Darnell Edge and Mike Holloway Jr.'s illustrious FDU careers come to a close with each player's name firmly entrenched in the program's record book.
 
Edge, the program's best three-point shooter of all-time, finished with seven points in the loss to go along with five rebounds and three assists, while Holloway, who ranks 10^th all-time in points at FDU, scored 10 points with four rebounds.
 
Sophomore Elyjah Williams joined Holloway as the lone other Knight in double figures with 10 points and a team-high nine rebounds.
 
In addition to Edge and Holloway, fellow senior Nadi Beciri returned to action for the first time since November 14 and scored a bucket.
 
For the No. 1 seed Zags, Naismith National Player of the Year finalist, Rui Hachimura led the way with 21 points and eight rebounds, while Killian Tillie came off of the bench to score 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting. As a team, the Zags shot 53 percent from the field and held the Knights to 35 percent.
 
Just under five minutes into action, Josh Perkins drained a top of the key 3-pointer to establish the first double-digit lead of the game for the Zags, 14-4.
 
Elyjah Williams ended a 9-0 run by the Zags with a putback layup, which resulted in the Knights' first field goal of the contest and made it a 19-6 game. The Burgundy and Blue started just 1-for-13 from the field and missed their first six from behind the arc.
 
Freshman Bassel Saliba Jr. knocked down the Knights' first 3-pointer of the contest to make it a 26-11 game with 7:52 to play in the half.
 
Back-to-back trifectas by Edge and Holloway would bring the deficit to 17 before the Zags responded with seven straight to build a 42-17 cushion and force an FDU timeout.
 
The Bulldogs scored the final 19 points of the stanza and established a 53-17 halftime lead. The Knights were held scoreless over the final 4:17 of the half and finished 5-of-26 (19.2 percent) from the field.
 
Holloway paced the team with five points, while Edge had three points, four rebounds and two assists.
 
Hachimura poured in 14 first-half points to go along with six rebounds, while Tillie contributed 10 points off of the bench for the Zags who shot 57.6 percent and enjoyed a 24-15 rebounding advantage in the half.
 
The Knights would close the deficit to 29 points after a jumper by Williams with 14:43 to play in regulation but would not get any closer. In the second half, the Burgundy and Blue were out-scored by just two points.

With the loss, the Knights conclude their campaign having won 15 of their last 18 games including eight of their final nine.

Coach Herenda's Postgame comments
"The first half was not the performance that we were looking for but I think Gonzaga was obviously well rested and prepared and played lights out. They were ranked No. 1 for a reason and they showed that they have Final Four and championship aspirations. But I tell you one thing -- I have never been prouder of a group of young men in my 35 years of coaching basketball. They took our FDU family on a magical ride this year which included a regular season NEC Championship, an NEC Championship, an NCAA Tournament appearance and a historic NCAA Tournament victory. While doing all of that they represented their families and our university with class and put Fairleigh Dickinson back on the map like it has never done before. I will forever be indebted to this senior class and the entire team."

"Mike, Darnell, and Nadi did it the right way. They will all graduate with tremendous degrees but the lessons that they learned and taught at FDU will go down in history. I cannot tell you how much that I will miss them personally. They are very special young men and will forever represent the Burgundy and Blue with class, dignity and respect."

Gonzaga Head Coach Mark Few on the Knights
"After watching Fairleigh Dickinson, they came in on quite a roll their guards were really shooting it well, their bigs were athletic and very good around the rim and that so kinda had us concerned but by in large our intensity was good and our attention to detail was excellent like it's been all year."