Maine men fall to FDU

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TEANECK, N.J. – Senior center Desi Wilson powered in 25 points, including the eventual game-winner on a 17-foot jumpshot with 1:44 remaining, carrying Fairleigh Dickinson University to a 66-63 win over Maine in a men’s college basketball game played here Saturday night.

The win improved FDU’s record to 2-1. Maine slipped to 1-3 heading into Wednesday night’s road game at Loyola of Chicago.

Wilson, a versatile 6-foot-6 player, buried his game-winner from the left wing to give the Knights a 64-61 lead.

After an exchange of misses, Kenny Barnes of Maine, who scored 18 points in 21 minutes of action, dropped in a transition layup to pull the Black Bears within 64-63 with 14 seconds left. Maine’s Marty Higgins was forced to foul FDU senior guard Mel Hawkins with 5 seconds left, and Hawkins sank both free throws to ice it.

Maine, which trailed throughout most of the game, battled back from a 40-32 deficit to tie the game at 51 on a Derrick Hodge 3-pointer with 6:15 remaining. Then came the turning point.

On FDU’s ensuing possession, Hodge (22 points) was called for a holding foul, sending Wilson to the foul line for 1-and-1. Maine’s Francois Bouchard was whistled for a technical foul on the same play. First Wilson made both ends of the 1-and-1. Then Hawkins made both technical free throws to boost the Knights’ lead to 55-51.

On FDU’s possession after the technical, Wilson hit a reverse layup, was fouled by Curtis Robertson of Maine, and completed the three-point play by nailing the free throw to up the lead to 58-51. After a Maine miss, Hawkins extended the scoring run to 9 unanswered points with a pullup bank shot.

Trailing 60-51 with 5:09 to play, Maine battled back, scoring 8 unanswered points off their press to close within 60-59 with 2:52 remaining.

But Wilson drew a foul from Barnes and hit both free throws (62-59). Barnes responded with a layup for Maine (62-61), then Wilson hit the game-winner.

Maine was plagued by foul troubles, sending the Knights to the line for 27 free throws (they made 24). The Bears, on the other hand, took only 7 free throws on the night, making only 3. Maine outrebounded FDU 30-25. The Bears committed 15 turnovers, to 12 for the Knights.

Knights 66, Black Bears 63

Fairleigh-Dickinson Maine Men

Name AG G AF F TP Name AG G AF F TP

Hawkins 8 3 6 6 12 Higgins 4 2 0 0 5

Brereton 8 5 2 1 11 Hodge 20 9 2 1 22

D. Wilson 10 7 11 11 25 Robertson 6 2 1 0 4

Harding 7 2 0 0 4 Bouchard 4 2 0 0 4

Freeman 4 3 0 0 6 Dennis 0 0 2 0 0

McClain 5 1 4 3 5 Barnes 10 9 0 0 18

L. Wilson 1 0 4 3 3 Hursey 4 2 2 2 6

Anderson 0 0 0 0 0 Kerry 5 0 0 0 0

McClaire 1 0 0 0 0

Hillman 1 1 0 0 2

Terrell 2 1 0 0 2

Totals 43 21 27 24 66 Totals 57 28 7 3 63

Fairleigh-Dickinson 30 66

Maine 25 63

3-pt. goals: Fairleigh-Dickinson (0-4): McClain 0-3, Hawkins 0-1; Maine (4-11): Hodge 3-7, Higgins 1-3, Kerry 0-1