Men's Basketball Wins Fourth Straight in Victory at FDU
The Central Connecticut State men's basketball team won its fourth straight NEC game, picking up a 63-57 win at FDU on Saturday. The Blue Devils had four players in double-figures and broke a tied game with 3:25 left by going perfect at the foul line down the stretch.
Darin Smith, Jr. went 13-of-13 at the foul line to finish with a game-high 17 points. Jay Rodgers had 15 points, while Melo Sanchez added 11 points. Max Frazier had a double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds. Central shot 21-of-52 (.404) from the field, and 5-of-18 (.274) on three-pointers. CCSU made 16-of-17 (.941) foul shots.
Arthur Cox had 16 points to lead FDU. The Knights shot 17-of-54 (.315) overall and 4-of-24 (.167) on three-pointers. FDU was 19-of-23 at the foul line.
GAME INFORMATION | BOX SCORE
Score: CCSU 63, FDU 57
Records: CCSU (14-10, 8-5 NEC), FDU (10-16, 7-6 NEC)
Location: Bogota Savings Bank Center | Hackensack, NJ
KEY MOMENTS
- Central took the lead early with a 5-0 run, holding the Knights scoreless for over three minutes. Max Frazier's jumper at the 17:17 mark made it 7-2. The Blue Devils would push the lead to double-digits with six straight points over a two-minute span. Jayden Mott opened the spurt with a jumper and Jay Rodgers would make it 16-6 at the 11:24 mark.
- FDU would respond with eight straight points to make it a two-point game. Arthur Cox scored seven straight points and his three-pointer at the 9:03 mark made it 16-14. A three-pointer by Daniel James would snap the scoring run and push the Blue Devils' lead back to five points.
- The Knights took their first lead on a Taeshaud Jackson layup to make it 20-19, but Central came back with nine straight points. James Jones opened the spurt with a jumper before Rodgers hit a three-pointer and converted a layup to make it 26-20. Frazier capped the run with a jumper to make it a eight-point lead with 2:30 left in the half. The Blue Devils would lead 30-25 at the intermission.
- CCSU would open the second half with a Sanchez trey and a dunk by Frazier to match its largest lead at 35-25 with 18:21 to play. The Knights would hold CCSU scoreless for six minutes and cut the lead to one-possession after two foul shots with 14:27 left.
- Sanchez hit a foul shot to end the Central drought with 12:15 remaining, but a Noah Melson basket and two foul shots by Ras Elijah Godbolt tied the game at 36 with 10:01 to play. Rodgers scored a jumper on the next possession for Central's first field goal in almost nine minutes and open a quick 7-0 spurt.
- The Blue Devils led 45-38 with 5:11 to play, but FDU would outscore CCSU, 9-2, in a span of 1:30 to tie the game. Joey Niesman hit four straight foul shots to tie the game at 47 with 3:25 remaining, but Smith, Jr. followed with two foul shots sand Frazier had a dunk and Central would take the lead for good. Central went 12-for-12 at the line in the final 2:03 to close the game.
NUMBER TO KNOW
0:25 – Central trailed for just 25 seconds in the game, but never led by more than 10. CCSU held the lead for 37:01 on the day.
NOTES
- Smith, Jr. has made 30 straight foul shots dating back to his first attempt at the line against Wagner on Jan. 29.
- Frazier had a career-high 14 rebounds in posting his third double-double of the season.
- Sanchez matched a personal-best with five rebounds.
- CCSU committed just seven turnovers, while FDU committed just nine turnovers.
- Central was outrebounded, 38-33, but held a 19-8 edge in second-chance points.
- The win earned CCSU a split of the season series, while FDU leads the all-time series, 31-30.
UP NEXT
- The Blue Devils return home on Thursday when they host Le Moyne.
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