Men's Basketball Falls to FDU on Friday
The Central Connecticut State men's basketball was overrun by FDU, 76-66, on Friday night in NEC action at Detrick Gymnasium. The Blue Devils had four players in double-figures, but the Knights shot a blistering 61.5 percent from the field after halftime.
Jay Rodgers and Darin Smith, Jr. led CCSU with 19 points apiece, while Melo Sanchez and Max Frazier each scored in double-figures with 11 points. Central shot 25-of-52 (.481) from the field, hitting 5-of-15 (.333) on three-pointers. CCSU converted 11-of-13 foul shots.
FDU was led by Eric Parnell who had 29 points and was 7-of-12 on three-pointers. The Knights shot 28-of-54 (.519) overall and 11-of-22 (.500) on three-pointers. FDU was 9-of-11 at the foul line.
GAME INFORMATION | BOX SCORE
Score: CCSU 66, FDU 76
Records: CCSU (10-8, 4-3 NEC), FDU (7-13, 4-3 NEC)
Location: Detrick Gymnasium | New Britain, CT
KEY MOMENTS
- CCSU scored five straight points and held FDU scoreless for almost over seven minutes and would go ahead 9-4. Jay Rodgers scored all five and his three-pointer at the 15:14 mark punctuated the run. Following Rodgers' bucket, neither team scored for over four-and-a-half minutes until a Rodgers layup at the 10:38 mark. All told Rodgers scored nine straight and put CCSU ahead 13-7.
- FDU would cut the deficit to one just past the midway mark after Cyril Martynov made it 15-14 at the 8:19 mark. Darin Smith, Jr. would answer with a three-pointer as he scored nine of the Blue Devils' next 11 points. His layup with 4:27 to go made it 25-18. The Blue Devils would go on a 10-2 run over three minutes to build its largest lead at 29-18 following two foul shots by Daniel James.
- The Knights would close the period with 14 straight points to take a 32-29 lead at the intermission. Eric Parnell opened the run with a three-pointer, while Joey Niesman made a trey just before the horn to close the half.
- An FDU foul shot opened the second half before five straight CCSU points. A three-pointer by Melo Sanchez put Central ahead, 34-33, before the Knights responded with seven unanswered to regain the lead. Smith, Jr. would make a jumper and a trifecta with 16:09 left to cap a personal five-point run and cut the deficit to 40-39.
- The Knights would score 12 straight points and built a double-digit lead. The Blue Devils endured an 11-minute span where they were outscored 34-10. A layup by Niesman made it 52-39 with 12:32 remaining.
- The Blue Devils would fall behind by as much as 66-46 with 7:13 to play and got no closer than the rest of the way following a Ashton Reynolds jumper with three seconds left.
NUMBER TO KNOW
21- After taking its largest lead at 29-18, Central was outscored 58-37 over the final 23 minutes.
NOTES
- CCSU had a six-game win streak in the series snapped, while FDU is 31-29 in the all-time series.
- Smith, Jr. is the only player in the NEC to score in double-figures in every game this season. He grabbed a game-high nine rebounds and had three blocked shots.
- Rodgers added six assists in the game.
- Sanchez was 3-of-5 from three-point range.
UP NEXT
- The Blue Devils are scheduled to play at Stonehill on Sunday.
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