RKMBs Forums .::Robegories::. Sports and Wrestling FDU made it to the NCAA Tournament!

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Knights reach NCAA Tournament for fourth time in program history

HACKENSACK, NJ - Andrea Crosariol (Abano T., Italy) scored 18 points to lead the Fairleigh Dickinson University men's basketball team past the Wagner College Seahawks, 58-52, to capture the 2005 Northeast Conference Championship and earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Knights (20-12) will be making the program's fourth NCAA Tournament appearance and first since 1998.

Crosariol led all scorers, shooting 7-of-10 from the field and was 4-of-5 from the free throw line. Mensah Peterson (North Brunswick, NJ) contributed 13 points, 3-of-7 from the floor, including hitting 3-of-6 from behind the arc, while Chad Timberlake (Brooklyn, NY) had 11 to round out the Knights in double-figures.





Durell Vinson (Vineland, NJ) led the Seahawks (13-17) with 14 points and eight rebounds and Mark Porter (Atlantic City, NJ) had 10 points.

Peterson hit a three-pointer with 23 seconds left and Crosariol made both free throws after getting fouled on the ensuing defensive end to give the Knights a 58-50 lead. DeEarnest McLemore (Cary, NC) hit a layup with 10 seconds left, but it was not enough as the Knights ran out the clock for the victory.

Vinson started the second half strong for the Seahawks, dunking in the first minute to put Wagner within two, 28-26. Fairleigh Dickinson built an 8-2 run, sparked by five points from Crosariol.

The Knights staged another run, taking an 11-point lead on a Gordon Klaiber (Greenbelt, MD) three-pointer, making it 47-36 with 10:36 remaining in regulation, before being held scoreless for almost four minutes as Wagner responded with a 7-1 run. Vinson capped the spurt with a layup from McLemore, cutting the deficit to four (48-44) with four minutes left to play.

With just over a minute remaining, the Seahawks cut the lead to two, 51-49, on Porter's made free throws.

After Wagner reeled off seven straight points to take an 11-7 lead, Fairleigh Dickinson responded with a 10-0 run, fueled by five points from Crosariol and a three from Timberlake.

Timberlake grabbed a steal and put it in on the other end to give the Knights their biggest lead of the half, 21-13. Tamien Trent (Moriches, NY) hit a layup with three minutes left in the half to give the Knights another eight-point lead, 27-19.

Matt Vitale (Brooklyn, NY) hit a three pointer with 44 seconds remaining in the frame to cut the Knights lead down to four entering the break, 28-24.

Crosariol led all scorers entering the half with nine points. The Knights shot 39 percent from the field while only committing six turnovers in the game. Wagner shot 28 percent from the floor and the Knights were out-rebounded 25-19 by the Seahawks.

Klaiber contributed nine points and a team-high eight rebounds. Vinson was 7-for-11 from the floor.

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