HOBOKEN, N.J. (November 20, 2007) – Senior guard Waleed Farid posted a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds as the 24th-ranked Stevens Institute of Technology men's basketball team rolled to an 82-48 win over Fairleigh Dickinson University on Tuesday evening at the Canavan Arena in Hoboken, N.J. A total of 13 different players scored in the game for the Ducks, who improved to 3-0 overall as they avenged a 77-65 loss to the Devils last year.
Stevens opened the game with 11 unanswered points over the first 4:33 of game action to take control. Junior guard Anthony Passalacqua and sophomore guard George Greco both nailed three-pointers to spark the run. FDU-Florham (0-3) chipped away and closed to within eight points at 14-6 on a free throw by junior guard Ryan McPherson (West Orange, N.J.).
The Ducks answered right back with an 8-0 run that was started by a three-point play by junior guard Virgil Gray. That bucket and free throw extended the margin to 22-6.
After the Devils got within 11 points at 35-24 on two free throws by junior guard Vince Crowe (Newark, N.J.) with 1:39 left in the half, junior guard Michael Baker canned back-to-back three-pointers to spark an 8-2 run to close out the period. Stevens entered the locker room with a 43-26 advantage. FDU shot just 29.2 percent (7-for-24) from the field and committed 12 turnovers in the first half. The Ducks knocked down six three-pointers in the frame.
Leading by 18 points with just over 13 minutes remaining, Stevens scored 14 straight points in less than three minutes to blow the game wide open. Farid had six points in the spurt. Baker capped things off with a three-pointer to push the Ducks' lead to 67-35 with 10:05 left on the clock. Both teams cleared the bench with 7:22 remaining in the contest.
Farid shot 5-for-6 from the floor in the game. Baker was 4-for-5 from downtown. He finished with 12 points, five assists and three steals. Gray totaled 12 points, four rebounds and four assists. Sophomore guard/forward Ian Masone made the most of his 10 minutes off the bench as he amassed two points and five rebounds. Freshman guard Corey Lee tallied five points off the bench in his first collegiate appearance.
Junior guard Andrew Biancosino (Edison, N.J.) had eight points and two steals for the Devils. Freshman center Ricky Fetske (Egg Harbor, N.J.) added seven points and nine rebounds. McPherson finished with eight points and seven rebounds.
Stevens owned a 54-35 advantage on the boards. The Ducks knocked on 12 three-pointers in the game. FDU committed 23 turnovers.
Following a week off, Stevens will hit the road to take on the City College of New York next Tuesday at 7 p.m. The Ducks will return home to face Alfred University in their Empire 8 opener on Friday, November 30 at 7 p.m.
