NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – A 14-0 run to close the first half sparked a 76-66 victory for FDU (7-13, 4-3) at Central Connecticut (10-8, 4-3) on Friday night. The Knights shot a sizzling 61.5% in the second stanza.
- Eric Parnell (9-15 FG) dropped a career-high 29 points
- 17 points of his points came in the second half
- The sharpshooter knocked down a career-best seven triples on 12 attempts
- Parnell went 4-4 form the free throw line
- The senior logged over 35 minutes of action
Central Connecticut produced the first significant spurt of the game with an 11-2 run late in the first half to take a 29-18 lead, but the Knights dominated the final three minutes. Parnell connected on three-straight threes to pull FDU within two, and
Joey Niesman tied the game moments later with a tough take to the bucket. FDU made five-consecutive stops to allow their scorers to get going. The half was capped off by a deep Niesman three to give the Knights a 32-29 lead heading into halftime.
The Blue Devils briefly took a 34-33 lead after halftime, but from that moment on, it was all Knights. A 12-0 run that spanned nearly four minutes extended FDU's lead to 13. Six of these points came courtesy of threes from Parnell and
David Jevtic, and the other six came in the paint. The Knights continued to attack the rim, scoring at will on the interior, while Parnell and others capitalized on the extra space by rattling in triples. Parnell's sixth and final three all but sealed the game by pushing FDU ahead 66-46.
The Knights outscored CCSU 58-37 in the final 23 minutes.
- Joey Niesman continued his strong start to NEC play with 18 points (7-12 FG) in 38 minutes
- Cyril Martynov notched double-figures with ten points
- Arthur Cox (7 points) was a +15 in 22 minutes off the bench
- FDU was 11-22 from beyond the arc
- The Knights finished 51.9% from the field after knocking down 16-26 shots in the second half
- The Burgundy and Blue had 19 assists and just five turnovers (3.8-1)
FDU returns home to take on Le Moyne on Monday, January 26 at 6 p.m. Fans can catch the game on NEC Front Row.
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Bogota Savings Bank is the presenting sponsor of FDU Men's Basketball
