HACKENSACK, N.J. - In a regional clash televised nationally on the YES Network, FDU men's basketball (11-12, 5-3 NEC) kept the press going against LIU (4-16, 3-5 NEC) as the Knights pushed to an 85-72 triumph inside the Bogota Savings Bank Center. FDU has won five of their last six and have won back-to-back league battles on home hardwood.
Junior forward
Ansley Almonor (Spring Valley, N.Y./St. Joseph Regional [Mont.]) got off cruising for the Burgundy and Blue, scoring each of the Knights' first five points. Almonor, tied for ninth all-time in made three-point field goals, sank 4-of-7 from deep against the Sharks to give the reigning Northeast Conference Most Improved Player 154 made triples on the banks of the Hackensack. The big man hit a trio of threes for 11 first half points.
FDU was the beneficiary of balanced scoring early on with seven Knights penciling points in the first 20 minutes. Almonor and graduate student guard
Heru Bligen (Glenn Dale, Md./St. Andrew's Episcopal) combined for 19 of the Knights' 42 first half points. The Knights opened up with a 21-9 lead.
While FDU commanded a double-digit lead for most of the game, LIU chipped away at the Knights' margin, making it a five-point game in the final eight minutes of the opening act. The Sharks' Andre Washington had six points in a 5-of-6 shooting streak for the visitors to bring LIU within three, 25-22, and just minutes remaining in the first half.
It was then that Bligen heated up with a heads-up dunk that fueled FDU opening a five-point lead.
Brayden Reynolds (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) followed the inbounds closely with a head-on-a-swivel scoop and score to fend off LIU as time ticked away in the opening period.
FDU had eight steals and 12 points off turnovers in the first 20 minutes.
In the second period of play, LIU started off cold, missing a pair of jumpers before the Knights got going in the final 20, starting with an early foul drawn by sophomore forward
Jo'el Emanuel (Suffern, N.Y.) resulting in a pair of free throw tries. Emanuel finished 8-of-12 (66.7 percent) from the stripe in Thursday's tilt.
Senior forward
Sean Moore (Columbus, Ohio/Reynoldsburg) reached a double-double for the fifth time this season, finishing with 15 points and 10 boards.
The Knights finished with 20 assists, tied for the team's high this season vs. Division I competition (Jacksonville and Sacred Heart).
FDU enjoys a weekend off before NEC play continues when Wagner visits the Bogota Savings Bank Center on Thursday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. ET on NEC Front Row and the NEC on the Run App. Tickets are on-sale now at
FDUKnights.com/Tickets.
- FDU's 16 steals were the most in an NEC game this season
- FDU is now 6-3 when at least four players score in double-figures
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Bogota Savings Bank is the presenting sponsor for the 2023-24 FDU men's basketball season.
