Wilkes, who trailed 39-30 with 14:02 left, put together a 12-3 spurt to knot the game. Steve Kline hit a free throw and Anthony Gabriel converted a three-point play to cut the lead to 39-34 at the 13:15 mark. A three-pointer by the Devil’s Brian Dillon quickly pushed the lead back to 42-34. But, the Colonels would score the next eight points.
Tom Kresge cashed in back-to-back field goal attempts to pull Wilkes within 42-38. Gabriel then scored off an assist from Kresge with 9:00 left to make it a 42-40 game. With 8:03 left, Matt Gould was fouled going to the basket and hit both charity tosses to even the count at 42-42.
FDU-Florham jumped back on top 45-42 on a three-pointer by Dillon with 7:47 showing on the clock that started their decisive 11-2 spurt. A field goal by Gould at the 6:34 mark made it a one-point game, 45-44.
Pierre Schmitt scored on a fast break lay-up and Dillon came up with a steal and basket to extend the FDU-Florham lead to 49-44 with 5:50 left. On the Devils next possession Frank Emslie dropped in a three-pointer that pushed the lead to 52-44. A free throw by Schmitt with 4:26 remaining made it 53-44.
Kresge would knock down a trifecta on the Colonels next trip down the floor to pull his team within 53-47 with 4:07 remaining. But, Emslie scored on a drive and Dillon hit two free throws to give FDU-Florham a 57-47 advantage with 2:53 left and seal the win.
FDU-Florham used a 9-1 first half run to move out to a 10-point advantage. Holding a 10-8 lead with just over 12 minutes left in the stanza, Emslie began the run with a three-pointer. Brian Rimol would follow with consecutive field goals that gave the visitors a 17-8 lead. Gabriel would hit one-of-two free throws to pull Wilkes within 17-9, but Brandon Matano converted a Colonels turnover into a basket to make it 19-9 with 7:48 left before halftime.
Wilkes would not get any closer than eight points during the remainder of the first half, with that coming on a pair of Gould free throws with 1:01 left in the period that made it 29-21. The Devils would eventually head into the halftime locker room with a 32-23 lead.
Emslie had five three-pointers and finished with a game-high 23 points to lead four FDU-Florham players in double-figures. Schmitt contributed 13 points. Dillon chipped in with 12 points and five assists, while Ryan McPherson added 10 points and four helpers.
Kresge, who had six rebounds, and Gould, who handed out five assists, had 18 points apiece to lead the Wilkes attack. Gabriel enjoyed a solid performance with 14 points and nine rebounds.