Men's Hoop Drops Home Decision to League-Leader FDU on Saturday
Blue Devils will travel to SFU and RMU next week to continue NEC play
The Central Connecticut men's basketball team dropped to 0-6 in Northeast Conference play with a 59-47 home loss to league-leader Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday. The loss drops Central to 2-15 overall on the season.
The Knights improve to 7-10 overall and 5-1 in NEC play with the victory.
The Blue Devils were led by three players in double figures, led by junior Mustafa Jones who had 13 points, sophomore Austin Nehls who added 12, including three threes, and senior Tidell Pierre added 13 points to go along with six boards.
The Blue Devils climbed out to a quick 16-9 lead before going cold from the field and allowing the Knights to climb back and take a 21-20 advantage with under five minutes to play before halftime.
Central responded, however, and score eight straight points in the next four minutes to build a 28-21 advantage, matching their largest lead of the half.
Central led 28-23 at the half after holding the Knights to 8-of-29 shooting from the field, including 1-of-9 from three. Jones had nine points at the half, while Nehls added eight and Pierre had seven.
The Knights opened the second half with an 18-4 run to build a 41-32 lead with under 13 minutes on the clock. After a first half in which they shot just 27.6 percent from the field, the Knights made 7-of-11 from the field and 3-of-5 from three to turn a five point deficit into a nine point lead.
Down 42-33, the Blue Devils ran off four straight points to cut the lead to 42-37 before an FDU timeout. A bucket from Jones and a fast-break basket from senior Khalen Cumberlander got the Blue Devils within five.
After the teams traded three point baskets Pierre converted an old fashioned three point play to make it 48-43 with 6:44 on the clock. FDU scored the next five points and pushed the lead to 10, 53-43, with under four to play. The Blue Devils went over three minutes without a basket during the FDU run.
The Blue Devils take to the road next week, heading to Robert Morris on Thursday night and St. Francis U on Saturday live on ESPN3.