Men Drop Conference Opener to FDU

The Central Connecticut men's basketball team dropped its Northeast Conference opener to Fairleigh Dickinson at home on Saturday, falling to 2-12 overall and 0-1 in league play.  Central led by as many as 11 in the game, and eight in the second half, but the Knights pulled away in the final minutes for the 73-67 win.

With the victory FDU improves to 6-6 overall and 1-0 in the league.  Sophomore Matt Mobley led the Blue Devils with 26 points in the loss, his seventh game with 20 or more points this season.  He was 10-of-20 from the field and hit a career-high five threes.  Senior Faronte Drakeford added 20 points and 13 rebounds for his first double-double of the season.  He was 8-of-12 from the field.

Central led 33-31 at halftime after the Knights trimmed an 11-point deficit and tied the game twice before the break.  The Blue Devils led 28-17 following a jumper from junior Brandon Peel on the fourth assist of the game from freshman Kevin Seymour.  The 11-point lead was the largest of the half for Central and came on the heels of a 15-5 run by the Blue Devils that ran for over six minutes.

The Knights answered with a 12-1 run and tied the score 29-29 with 2:31 on the clock.  The Blue Devils held the Knights to two points in the final minutes of the half and led 33-31 at the break.

Mobley led all scorers at the half with 14 points, including four threes.  He was 4-of-8 from three in the half.  FDU hit 7-of-13 from three in the first half to stay within two.  They were just 4-of-13 inside the three-point line.  Central held a 21-12 advantage on the boards including seven from Drakeford.  He also had 13 points.

In the second half the Blue Devils built a 50-42 lead before a 15-5 run by the Knights gave them their first lead of the half, 57-55, with about seven minutes to play. A quick bucket from Mobley tied the game 57-57 with 6:01 left on the clock.

Both teams went cold from the field before FDU's Mustafaa Jones hit a three to give the visitors a 60-57 lead with under five minutes to play.  The Knights had gone over two minutes with a basket before the third three of the game from Jones and then a bucket on their next possession gave the visitors a 62-57 lead with four minutes to play.

The lead stretched to 67-59 with 2:17 after a bucket in the lane, a Blue Devil turnover, and then a pair of free-throws from Marques Townes.  The drought ended for the Blue Devils on a Seymour drive in the lane, making it 67-61, with 2:00 on the clock.  The lead reached 10 on a pair of Jones free-throws for the Knights with under a minute to play.  The Blue Devils would get no closer than six the rest of the way.

Central held a 33-29 edge on the boards, led by 13 from Drakeford, a new career-high.  He had five offensive rebounds and the Blue Devils had 10 in the game.  Central added 14 assists, led by six from Seymour and five from Drakeford. 

The Blue Devils continue NEC play on Monday night on the road at Sacred Heart beginning at 7:30 p.m.  They will also play on the road at the Mount on Thursday night, before returning home to host Robert Morris on Jan. 10 at 3:30 p.m.