COLUMBUS, Ohio - #16 FDU (21-16, 10-6 NEC) saw their historic and magical season come to an end in the Second Round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship Sunday, falling 78-70 to #9 Florida Atlantic (33-3, 18-2 Conference USA).

The setback dashes the hopes that FDU would be the first Northeast Conference school to play in the Sweet 16, but the Knights joined UMBC as the only #16 seeds to upend a #1 seed when they took down Purdue Friday night. 

FDU fell behind 9-0 early but snapped the 4:02 scoreless with a three-pointer from graduate student Grant Singleton. The Knights got back in the game with four consecutive markers, capped off with a layup from rookie Brayden Reynolds.

A 6-2 spurt by FDU made it a one-point contest as the first half crossed over the midpoint line, but the Owls used a 10-0 run over a 1:44 span to take a 27-16 edge with 6:21 to go in the frame. FDU managed to hold FAU to five points over the last 6:21, trimming the deficit to seven at 32-25 entering halftime.

The Knights shot 10-of-35 (28.6%) and just 3-of-16 from three in the first half, but Florida Atlantic was only 3-of-17 from deep in the first 20 minutes.

FDU took their first lead of the night 1:39 into the second half, as junior Joe Munden Jr. polished off an 8-0 run with a three-pointer. A dunk by Munden Jr. with 16:59 pushed the advantage to four before FAU leveled the game at 44 on a triple from Alijah Martin.

Graduate student Demetre Roberts heated up in the second stanza and tallied five consecutive points, including a three-pointer, to extend the Knights margin to five at 49-44. The nip-and-tuck second period saw Johnell Davis tally back-to-back layups to give the Owls a four-point lead before Munden Jr. trimmed the gap in half with two free-throws.

The Owls stretched the gap to seven at 67-60 before junior Sean Moore knocked down a jumper right before the under-four media timeout. Roberts layup off a turnover brought the score to three, but the FDU could not get any closer. Sophomore Ansley Almonor knocked down a triple to make it 76-70, but FAU sealed the win with two late free throws.

Playing in his final game, Roberts led the Knights with 20 points, including 16 in the second half. Moore narrowly missed a double-double, going for 14 points and nine rebounds. Davis led the Owls with 29 points and 12 boards, as Martin added 14.