CHICAGO, Ill. – Joey Niesman's free throw with two seconds left was the final blow in FDU's (11-17, 8-7) 60-59 victory over Chicago State (6-22, 4-11) on Thursday night.
- Joey Niesman totaled 19 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists
- Niesman shot 7-11 from the field and 4-5 from beyond the arc
- The guard played all 40 minutes
- Arthur Cox finished with a season-high 20 points on 7-13 shooting
- Cox scored 15 of his points in the second half
- The center drilled three triples, including a trey to put FDU ahead with 22 seconds left
FDU opened the game slowly, falling behind 5–0 before
Joey Niesman got them on the board with a jumper. From there, the Knights' offense settled in, fueled by Niesman,
Cyril Martynov, and
Arthur Cox. FDU battled through early turnovers but stayed close thanks to timely rebounding and second‑chance points. A late first‑half push—highlighted by Cox scoring five straight points, including a second‑chance three—helped FDU take a 28–26 halftime lead.
The second half featured constant swings, with neither team leading by more than a few possessions until FDU's surge around the 11‑minute mark. Niesman hit a second‑chance three to put FDU up 41–36, and shortly after, Cox buried another triple to extend the lead to 46–38, FDU's largest of the night. Chicago State countered repeatedly, and the game tightened again in the final minutes. Both teams traded free throws to enter the final 30 seconds knotted at 56–56.
The defining sequence came in the final half‑minute. After a defensive stand, FDU worked the ball to Cox
, who drilled a huge three‑pointer with 22 seconds remaining to give FDU a 59–56 lead. Chicago State responded with a three of its own to tie it at 59 with 10 seconds left, setting up a final possession for FDU. With two seconds remaining,
Niesman drew a foul and calmly hit the first of two free throws, putting the Knights ahead 60–59. He intentionally missed his second shot but FDU's defense held in the final moments, sealing the one‑point road win.
- Ras Elijah Godbolt played the best game of his freshman season finishing as a +11 in over 20 minutes
- Godbolt scored seven points, grabbed two boards, and dished out two assists
- FDU won the rebounding battle 35-24
- 13 of these rebounds came on the offensive end resulting in 14 second chance points
- The Knights dished out 18 assists and committed just nine turnovers
- FDU shot 42.9% from the field and made nine threes
FDU will host New Haven in Hackensack this Saturday, February 21, at 7 p.m. The game will air on NEC Front Row.
Connect with the Knights on Instagram and X @FDUKnightsMBB
Bogota Savings Bank is the presenting sponsor of FDU Men's Basketball
