HACKENSACK, N.J. – Senior guard Joe Munden Jr. (Harlem, N.Y./Monsignor Scanlan) ended the first half on five-of-six shooting from the field and didn't look back as the four-year Knight fueled an 124-66 win over Penn State Schuylkill Saturday inside Stratis Arena. The win is FDU's six-straight on their home hardwood dating back to last season and marks the Knights' second over a Penn State Commonwealth Campus. All 13 available Knights scored in the contest.
 
Graduate student Heru Bligen (Glenn Dale, Md./St. Andrew's Episcopal) snapped a near three-minute scoreless stretch for the Burgundy and Blue early on with a floater through Nittany Lion-induced traffic, the first points of the game for FDU.
 
Junior forward Ansley Almonor (Spring Valley, N.Y./St. Joseph Regional [Mont.]) hit his first of four first half three-pointers to bring FDU within two, though the Nittany Lions had an immediate answer.
 
The Knights did a good job sharing the basketball in the first half with seven Knights contributing for 12 assists, led by Munden Jr.'s four and a trio of dishes from sophomore forward Brayden Reynolds (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley). FDU recorded 12 first half turnovers.

"It was good to see everyone doing a great job of sharing the basketball," head coach Jack Castleberry told FDUKnights.com after the game. "We're one of the better assist-to-shots made teams out there right now. We want to continue making sure our guys get a touch on the ball and we need to keep doing an unbelievable job with that."
 
Senior Sean Moore (Columbus, Ohio/Reynoldsburg) hit a triple with 10:45 to play in the opening period to give the home team a three-point lead which was further extended courtesy of a four-point play as Almonor was hit on the made three-point attempt.
 
With an 18-point lead coming out of the break, it was off to the races for FDU as Jo'el Emanuel (Suffern, N.Y./Suffern) put an exclamation on the high pass from Reynolds, flushing it home in the first minute after the intermission.
 
Moore also stayed hot as the second-year Knight scored four early points to go into double figures.
 
FDU outscored the visitors 25-8 in the first eight minutes of the second.
 
The Knights saw contributions from the bench 72 points from reserves including high marks of 13 from freshman Terrence Brown (Minneapolis, Minn/Columbia Heights) and 13 points from Jameel Morris (Willingboro, N.J./Trenton Catholic). Brown contributed a team-high two blocks.
 
Morris finished his outing 5-for-6 from the field.
 
Graduate student Sébastien Lamaute came in at the midway point of the second an immediately hit a triple.
 
Jack Castleberry's side made the most of their misses in game five on the young campaign with 32 second chance points.

Freshman Davin Francis (Brooklyn, N.Y./South Shore) poured in 10 points in 11 minutes with four rebounds, an assist and a steal.

"Davin can shoot it at a very high clip," said Castleberry referring to the Brooklyn native. "The future for Davin Francis is extremely bright; he's got some other growth in some other areas like executing defensive coverages but he'll get there. He works incredibly hard and has made tremendous program. Davin will be a big part of our program moving forward."
 
Jahmir Tyrell led the Nittany Lions with 19 points.
 
FDU hits the road for six-straight games beginning on Wednesday, Nov. 22 when the Burgundy and Blue take-on Queens (N.C.) at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+. FDU then visits the Pittsburgh, Pa. area for the Urban-Bennett Memorial Classic to end the Thanksgiving week before returning back to Northern New Jersey for New York City area games against NJIT, Fordham and Manhattan.
 
The Knights return home on Monday, Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. ET against Columbia live on NEC Front Row. Tickets are on-sale now at FDUKnights.com/Tickets.

Connect with FDU men's basketball on X and Instagram, @FDUKnightsMBB.

Bogota Savings Bank is the presenting sponsor for the 2023-24 FDU men's basketball season.
 

Knight Cap

• FDU's 124 points are the most in a game since 111 vs. FDU-Florham (11/15/17)
• All 13 available Knights played and scored
• Five Knights set new career highs in points
• FDU has won six-straight at home dating back to the 2022-23 regular season finale

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