FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairleigh Dickinson men's basketball team's season concluded on Friday night with a 70-64 loss to Sacred Heart at the Pitt Center.
The Knights (9-15, 8-10 NEC) overcame a nine-point halftime deficit to take a nine-point lead of their own in the second half but the Pioneers (9-8, 9-7 NEC) rallied in the final two minutes to come away with the win.
Sophomore guard
Brandon Rush paced the Knights with 20 points and eight rebounds, while junior
Brandon Powell added 12 points and four steals. Possibly playing their final game in the Burgundy and Blue, seniors
Jahlil Jenkins scored 10 and
Elyjah Williams scored nine with 10 rebounds.
Coach Herenda Postgame (Video)
How it Happened
- The Pioneers jumped out to a 16-8 lead after a three-pointer by Mike Sixsmith just under eight minutes into action.
- After trailing for most of the first half, the Knights tied the game at 23 when Jenkins converted one of his signature running floaters in the lane with 4:16 to play in the half.
- The Pioneers responded with a 10-0 run before Rush ended the Knights' drought with an off-balance, shot-clock beating three-pointer from the wing.
- Rush's three was the Knights' final bucket of the half as they entered intermission trailing 35-26.
- The Burgundy and Blue were held to just 9-of-27 (33.3 percent) from the field and 3-of-10 from behind the arc.
- A Rush three-pointer sparked the Knights out of the break as they scored the first 13 points of the stanza and took a 39-35 edge less than five minutes in.
- Williams highlighted the run with a pair of offensive rebounds before converting an old-fashioned three-point play.
- The Knights held the hosts scoreless over the first 6:20 of the half before Zach Radz made a layup for the Pioneers.
- A three by Powell gave the Knights their largest lead of the night, 49-40, and forced a Sacred Heart timeout with 9:12 to go.
- The Pioneers responded with a 10-2 run before Rush got into the lane and finished a soft floater to end the spurt.
- Sixsmith knocked down an open three at the 4:20 mark to put the Pioneers back in front and then a three-point play on his team's next possession provided the home team with a 60-55 edge with 3:51 to go.
- Rush scored five-straight points for the Knights, who entered the final minute trailing 64-62.
- The teams traded buckets over the next 30 seconds before Aaron Clarke made a pair of free throws to make it a two-possession game and help seal the win for the Pioneers.
Inside the Box Score
- The Knights won the battle on the glass 39-35 but struggled from long range, connecting on just 6-of-23 (26.1 percent) from behind the arc.
- The team has thrived all season from three-point range and entered the contest ranked 23rd in the nation at 38.3 percent.
- Both teams shot below their season averages in the contest as the Knights made 37.3 percent overall, while the Pioneers made 39.7 percent.
- If Jenkins decides not to return for a fifth season next year, the senior guard will conclude his illustrious career with 1,698 points – third-most at FDU. In addition, he ranks second all-time in assists, third in steals, fourth in three-pointers, fifth in field goals and sixth in free throws.
- Williams concludes his senior campaign ranked 29th on the Knights' all-time scoring list with 1,050 points, as well as, seventh in blocked and shots and 11th in both rebounds and steals.
- After making 17-of-17 at the line last night, the Knights hit their first five of tonight's game but finished 13-of-17 overall at the stripe.
- Clarke paced the Pioneers with 16 points, nine of which came from the free throw line.
- With the loss, the Knights finish under .500 in NEC play for the first time in the last five seasons.
