Contact: W. Scott Giglio, 973-443-8965
FDU-FLORHAM MEN’S BASKETBALL BEATEN BY LYCOMING, 76-70
MADISON, NJ – The FDU-Florham led by as much as nine points in the second half, but the Lycoming Warriors came back to beat the Devils 76-70. FDU drops to 9-14 overall and 3-9 in the Freedom Conference. Lycoming improves to 16-7 overall and 7-5 in the Freedom.
FDU built their lead to 58-49 with 13:11 left to play after going on a 21-12 run. But Lycoming chipped away and tied the game 67-67 with 5:06 left to play when Jeremiah Edison made a free throw.
Down 71-67, the Devils looks to get right back in it when senior forward Chris Trotta (Monmouth Beach, NJ) connected on a three-pointer to make the score 71-70 with 2:31 left to play. Lycoming got a lay-up from Edison to extend their lead tow 73-70 with 2:13 remaining.
On their next possession, the Devils had a chance to tie as sophomore guard Frank Emslie (Hazlet, NJ) took a three-pointer, but missed with 1:41 on the clock. Lycoming missed a three-pointer on their next possession, and FDU took the ball back with 1:17 left.
But the Devils turned the ball over at the 1:01 mark. Lycoming ran the shot clock down and Shaun Morris missed a three-pointer, but got the rebound, enabling them to run more time off. Kevin Morris then missed a three-point attempt with 28 seconds left and the ball went out of bounds off FDU.
After an FDU timeout, the Devils fouled Shaun Morris, who missed his first free throw and made his second to put Lycoming up 24-70.
With 20 seconds left, FDU sophomore guard Cody Chalmers (Middletown, NJ) got off a three-point shot, but missed. FDU fouled immediately and Shaun Morris went to the line again, this time making both to make the score 76-70.
Trotta was able to get a three-pointer off before the buzzer, but missed.
On the day, FDU senior center Chris Hendershot (Vernon, NJ) scored a game-high 29 points and pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds to record his 12th double-double of the year. He shot 10-for-20 from the floor and 8-for-8 from the foul line. Senior forward Jeff Hemschoot (Little Silver, NJ) added 11 points. Sophomore guard Frank Emslie (Hazlet, NJ) added 10 markers.
Lycoming won despite getting very little from their high-scorer, Jonathan Pribble. Pribble got into foul trouble early and ended up playing just eight minutes before fouling out. He had three fouls in the first half and, after receiving his fourth in the second half, argued the call with an official and was whistled for a technical for his fifth foul.
Edison led the Warriors with 22 points, making 10 of 12 field goal attempts. He also grabbed seven boards. Patrick Baylor added 17 markers.
FDU will play a Freedom Conference game at Drew on Tuesday, February 15 at 8:00 pm.