Men's Basketball Outscores Fairleigh Dickinson, 94-87, in NEC Opener

Central Connecticut opened Northeast Conference men's basketball action with a 94-87 win at Fairleigh Dickinson on Tuesday night. The Blue Devils got a double-double from sophomore Greg Outlaw and had four players in double-figures, while shooting 64 percent from the field. The teams will play again on Wednesday afternoon at 4:00 p.m.

Central would take the lead for good late in the first half and would continue its hot shooting after the intermission to pick up its first win of the year.

Outlaw scored a career-high 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds. Junior Ian Krishnan added 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting, while sophomore Xavier Wilson chipped in 11 points and junior Tre Mitchell had 10 points on 4-of-4 shooting.

CCSU shot 37-of-58 (.638) from the field and was 10-of-15 (.667) from the three-point arc. The Blue Devils outrebounded the Knights, 33-29, and Central had 21 assists in the game, led by junior Nigel Scantlebury with six.

The Knights show 29-of-63 (.460) from the field and was just 8-of-26 (.308) from three-point range. Elyjah Williams and Jahlil Jenkins each had 24 points. Williams had nine rebounds and four assists.

The teams will meet again on Wednesday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. Additional non-conference games and any schedule changes will be announced as they become available.

GAME INFORMATION
Score: Central Connecticut 94, Fairleigh Dickinson 87
Records: CCSU (1-3, 1-0 NEC), FDU (0-5, 0-1 NEC)
Location: Stratis Arena | Hackensack, NJ

KEY MOMENTS

• The teams traded baskets in the early-going, with both squads shooting better than 60% from the field in the opening minutes. CCSU would lead 15-14 at the first media timeout, powered by seven points from junior Ian Krishnan in the opening 5:15. 
• Fairleigh Dickinson would score nine unanswered points to go ahead 20-15 on Jahlil Jenkins' layup with 12:35 to go in the half.
• FDU would hit 3-of-4 three-pointers and take advantage of a 10-2 scoring advantage in second chance points to build a 33-28 lead with just under eight minutes left in the opening half.
• Central would take the lead late in the opening half, following a 9-0 run, capped off by three foul shots from junior Zach Newkirk and a three-pointer from sophomore Myles Baker. The Blue Devils would take a 46-42 lead into the intermission.
• CCSU would extend its lead to as much as 61-52 early in the second half following a strong move down low by junior Karrington Wallace. 
• Fairleigh Dickinson responded with seven straight points to cut the Blue Devils lead to just two points before a three-pointer by Krishnan ended the Knights' spurt with 13:00 left.
• The Blue Devils would hit 8-of-9 from the field and 6-of-7 three-pointers midway through the second half to open its lead to 81-71 with 7:24 to play.
• FDU would get within four points with just over three minutes to play, but CCSU would push the lead back up to eight after two foul shots and a short jumper by Wallace.

QUOTABLE

"We shared the ball, we had 21 assists," said head coach Donyell Marshall. "The guys who made shots today is because we shared the basketball. Guys got the ball in their position ready to shoot and I think that's what made the difference today."

NUMBER TO KNOW

21 - The Blue Devils dished out a season-high 21 assists on 37 field goals in the game. Eight players had a helper for CCSU, led by Scantlebury with six.

NOTES

• Fairleigh Dickinson holds a 27-21 edge in the all-time series. Central has won the last two meetings in the series and got its first win at FDU since Jan. 10, 2019 (103-96, 2ot).
• Central posted its best shooting performance of the season in the first half (18-of-28, .643). The Blue Devils followed that up by scoring 48 points and shooting 19-of-30 (.633) in the second period.
• The Blue Devils shot better than 60 percent in a game for the first time since Nov. 18, 2018, in a win over Florida A&M when they shot 66.7% from the field.
• CCSU had a 29-22 edge in bench scoring. The Blue Devils are getting 32 points per game from their reserves this season.
• Outlaw had a career-high 21 points and led the Blue Devils with 10 rebounds, while adding three assists in his first start of the season. It was Outlaw's first career double-double.
• The Blue Devils had a season-high 21 assists, it was their most since posting 22 against Connecticut College on Dec. 29, 2019. Central had eight players collect an assist in the game.
• Scantlebury had a season-high six assists in the game, his second game with at least five (five at UConn).
• CCSU had nine players scoer in the game for the fourth time this season. The Blue Devils played 10 players in the contest.
• Krishnan was 3-of-5 on three-pointers in the game, he entered the night shooting just 2-of-13 on the season from three-point range. In three career games at Stratis Arena he is 13-of-24 (.542) from the arc.
• Sophomore Jamir Reed hit 2-of-2 from three-point range, the second time he has been perfect from the arc in a game this season (4-4 at UConn). He added three rebounds and two assists in 31 minutes.
• Junior Karrington Wallace had a season-high seven rebounds to go with seven points, two assists, a block and steal.
• Sophomore Myles Baker converted a season-best three three-pointers.