Men's Hoops Hosts Defending NEC Champion FDU Wednesday
Dec 12 | Men's Basketball
| Rutgers vs. Fairleigh Dickinson | |
| Date | Wednesday, December 14 |
| Time | 7:00 p.m. EST |
| Location | The RAC | Piscataway, N.J. |
| Video | BTN Plus (Lou Brogno & Dick Lloyd) |
| Radio | Rutgers IMG Sports Radio Network - WCTC 1450 AM & WOR 710 AM (Jerry Recco & Joe Boylan) WRSU 88.7 FM (Andrew Fafalios & Mike Antosh) |
| Live Stats | |
| Game Notes | Rutgers | FDU |
| Media Guide | Rutgers |
| Tickets | Buy Tickets |
| Promotions | New England Clam Chowder in a Bread Bowl ($6) |
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Off to its best start since 1975-76, Rutgers (9-1) hosts its final non-conference contest of the season when it welcomes defending Northeast Conference champion and NCAA Tournament participant Fairleigh Dickinson to the RAC on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. tip-off. The Scarlet Knights will be working to improve to 8-0 at home for the first time since 2001-02. Steve Pikiell is off to the best start for a head coach in RU men's basketball history, surpassing the 8-2 marks posted by Gary Waters in 2001-02 and Donald S. White in 1945-46 to begin their tenures.
Wednesday's game will be streamed live via the web on BTN Plus with Lou Brogno calling the action and Dick Lloyd providing the commentary. On the radio, the contest will be broadcast live on the Rutgers IMG Sports Network, WOR 710 AM in New York and WCTC 1450 AM in New Brunswick. Jerry Recco will serve as play-by-play announcer and Joe Boylan will provide commentary. WRSU (88.7 FM) will also broadcast the game.
Rutgers and FDU have played 13 times on the collegiate hardwood dating back to 1981, with the Scarlet Knights holding a 11-2 advantage, including two straight. RU is 10-2 all-time at home versus the Knights. Last season, Corey Sanders scored 21 points and Greg Lewis and Mike Williams both posted double-doubles in a 72-64 win at the RAC. The Scarlet Knights shot 41.2 percent (7-of-17) from behind the arc, including 4-of-8 in the second half, to ensure the victory. RU Director of Player Development Greg Vetrone served four seasons (2009-13) as head coach at FDU.
Rutgers overcame a 10-point second half deficit and was a perfect 10-of-10 from the free throw line in the final stages in a hard-fought, 71-66, win at Stony Brook Saturday night. Nigel Johnson scored a career-high 21 points on 6-of-12 shooting with six rebounds. Sanders was 6-of-10 from the field to join Johnson in double figures with 13 points. Deshawn Freeman fell one bucket shy of his sixth double-double of the season, scoring eight points, while grabbing a game-high 12 rebounds. The Scarlet Knights out-rebounded the Seawolves 38-27 and established a 34-14 advantage in points in the paint.
FDU, under the direction of fourth-year head coach Greg Herenda, is coming off a 90-87 loss at Towson on Saturday after building a 43-33 halftime lead. The Tigers established a 44-29 rebounding advantage and out-scored the visitors 52-28 in the paint. Guards Darian Anderson and Stephan Jiggets combined to score 58 points, posting 33 and 25, respectively. A preseason All-NEC choice, Anderson was 12-of-21 from the field and 6-of-11 from behind the arc. He leads FDU, which was picked to finish first in the league's preseason coaches poll, with a 19.4 scoring average. Wednesday's game marks the second for the Knights against a Big Ten foe, after dropping a 70-62 decision at Ohio State on Dec. 3 in a hard-fought contest that featured four ties and 13 lead changes.
