Men's Basketball Outscored at Home by FDU

The Central Connecticut men's basketball team dropped an 88-80 contest to FDU on Saturday in Northeast Conference action in New Britain, CT. The Blue Devils led midway through the second half, but a late run by the Knights provided the difference in the final margin.

Nigel Scantlebury scored a season-high 23 points to lead four players in double-figures for Central. Kellen Amos added 19, while Jay Rodgers and Andre Snoddy scored 12 and 10, respectively. CCSU shot 28-of-59 (.475) from the field overall and 13-of-29 (.448) from three-point range. Central was 11-of-14 (.786) from the foul line.

The Knights were led by Grant Singleton's 20 points. FDU shot 28-of-52 (.538) overall and 11-of-23 (.478) from the arc. The Knights were 21-of-23 (.913) from the foul line.

The Blue Devils are off until they travel to Wagner on Thursday, Jan. 20. w

GAME INFORMATION
Score: CCSU 80, FDU 88
Records: CCSU (4-15, 2-3  NEC), FDU (11-8, 4-0 NEC)
Location: Detrick Gymnasium | New Britain, CT

KEY MOMENTS

• For the fourth straight game, the Blue Devils opened the game's scoring when Amos hit a three-pointer. Central would jump out on a fast start and built a 10-4 lead following a steal by Scantlebury that led to an alleyoop to Amos. FDU would call a timeout, after which they hit consecutive three-pointers. The teams would open the game hitting a combined 6-of-7 from three-point range and the game was even at 13-13 by the first media timeout.
• Midway through the opening period, FDU would break a 20-20 tie with consecutive steals that led layups. CCSU would call a timeout to stem the tide, but the Knights would outscore the Blue Devils, 11-5, over a three-minute span and went ahead 31-25 with 7:51 left in the half. 
• Scantlebury would convert a three-point play to tie the game at 38-38 with 3:33 to go in the half. FDU would make back-to-back three-pointers to make it a two-possession game before a dunk by Tre Breland and two foul shots by Snoddy would make it 44-42 at halftime. 
• A layup by Abdul Momoh early in the secound half would tie the game at 46 before another trifecta by Scantlebury gave CCSU the lead. The Blue Devils would continue to hold the lead following a foul shot by Momoh that made it 52-50 with 15:57 to play. That would be Central's last lead of the day as following a Scantlebury trey to tie it at 55-all, FDU would score three straight and eventually pushed its lead to 65-60.
• Amos would hit consecutive three-pointers to make it a one-point game with just under 10 minutes to play. CCSU would keep the game within one possession and trailed just 72-70 with 6:11 to play. Central would have a chance to tie the game, but a turnover led to an FDU three-pointer and the Knights would score nine straight points as part of a run to push the lead to 83-72 with 1:12 to play. CCSU was unable to get closer than 84-78 with 41 seconds to play. 

QUOTABLE

"We put in a couple plays this week to try and settle us down when it gets a little chaotic and get a good shot," said head coach Patrick Sellers. "We called timeout, out of the timeout ran a play and executed to get a pretty good shot at the rim, missed it, we turned it over and they went down and scored. When it gets late in the game and a little chaotic, especially, we have to, as a group, get a stop on defense and get a bucket on offense. "

NUMBER TO KNOW

88 – CCSU allowed the most points in an NEC loss since a loss at Bryant on January 7, 2021 (93-68)

NOTES

• FDU leads the all-time series, 30-23, and won for the first time in three tries against Central.
• Scantlebury finished 7-of-11 from the field, including 4-of-5 on three-pointers. He added five assists and three steals with just one turnover.
• Snoddy added a team-high eight rebounds with four assists. 
• Central scored a season-best 42 points in the opening half enroute to a season-high in scoring.
• FDU held a 31-10 advantage in bench scoring, bolstered by Singleton's 20 points.

UP NEXT

The Blue Devils are off until they travel to Wagner on Thursday, Jan. 20.