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It may be a tall order for 16th-seeded FDU to knock off top-seeded Purdue and its 7-4 NCAA Player of the Year candidate Zach Edey, but the Knights won't be lacking in confidence heading into Friday night's matchup in Columbus, OH.
Coming off a convincing 84-61 win over Texas Southern in a First Four matchup on Wednesday, the Knights will take their shot at the Boilermakers in hopes of becoming the second #16 seed in NCAA history to knock a #1 seed. The game tips at 6:50 pm with Andrew Catalon, Steve Lappas and Jamie Erdahl in the booth on TNT.
FDU's victory vs. TSU was its second NCAA win in five years and the 20th of the season for the Knights, marking the eleventh 20-win campaign in program history.
All five FDU starters reached double-digits vs. TSU, led by 23 points and eight boards from Ansley Almonor. The NEC’s Most Improved Player hit 5-8 from distance.
The Knights sank 27-31 from the line in the win and finished with a .500/.407/.871 shooting slash line. FDU drilled 11 shots from outside the arc.
FDU features three NEC all-stars that drive the league's most prolific offensive attack. Graduate student guard Demetre Roberts was named to the All-NEC first team and teamed up with classmate and second team selection Grant Singleton in a formidable backcourt. Almonor was a third team pick in addition to his MIP honor.
Following a runner-up regular season and NEC Tournament finish, FDU is making its seventh trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Knights are now 2-6 in NCAA competition, having also defeated Prairie View A&M in the 2019 First Four.
In a memorable NCAA outing back in 1985, the 16th-seeded Knights led top-seeded Michigan for nearly the entire game, before succumbing late, 59-55.
1985 Southeast Regional #1 Michigan 59, #16 FDU 55
1988 Midwest Regional #1 Purdue 94, #16 FDU 79
1998 Midwest Regional #2 Connecticut 93, #15 FDU 85
2005 Chicago Regional #1 Illinois 67, #16 FDU 55
2016^ East Regional #16 FGCU 96, #16 FDU 65
2019^ East Regional #16 FDU 82, Prairie View A&M 76
#1 Gonzaga 87, #16 FDU 49
2023^ East Regional #16 FDU 84, #16 Texas Southerm 61
^ NCAA First Four Game
FDU has a history with first round opponent Purdue, having dropped a 94-79 decision to the Boilermakers in the 1988 NCAA first round. Former NEC member Robert Morris came up just short in a 55-53 NCAA loss to Purdue in 1983.
The NEC is 0-9 overall vs. the Big Ten in the NCAA Tournament. Along with RMU’s two-point setback to Purdue, FDU fell in a 59-55 nailbiter vs. Michigan in 1985.
The NEC has won six NCAA Tournament games since the 2008 season.