DiPietrantonio
53
FDU- Florham FDUFMBB 12-14
72
Winner Stevens STEVENS 22-4
FDU- Florham FDUFMBB
12-14
53
Final
72
Stevens STEVENS
22-4
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
FDU- Florham FDUFMBB 28 25 53
Stevens STEVENS 31 41 72

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Stevens Athletic Communications

Men’s Basketball Wins Ninth Straight and Reaches MAC Freedom Championship with 72-53 victory over FDU-Florham

DiPietrantonio posts 13th double-double to lead Ducks to come-from-behind victory

HOBOKEN, N.J. (February 26, 2020)  – Junior Alec DiPietrantonio recorded his 13th double-double of the year with 17 points and a season-high 16 rebounds to lead the Stevens Institute of Technology men's basketball team over Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus Wednesday in a MAC Freedom semifinal matchup at Canavan Arena.

Senior Spencer Cook added 16 points and freshman Matt Crowley netted a career-high 15 points for the Ducks, who won their ninth straight game to improve to 22-4. The 22 victories match the highest single-season total under 12th-year head coach Bobby Hurley. The program record for victories is 23, set 2006-07 and 2007-08.

Oliver Ortman led FDU-Florham with 12 and Andrew Schulz and Andy Fleurantin each added 11 as the Devils dropped to 12-14. The Devils have alternated wins and losses over their last 10 games. The victory was Stevens' fifth straight over FDU-Florham and 14th in the last 15 meetings.

After watching the Devils post a program-record 94 points in the regular-season finale against Wilkes, Stevens held FDU-Florham to just 53 points, marking the Devils' lowest output of the season. The smothering Ducks' defense, ranked 11th in the country in opponents' field-goal percentage entering the game, Stevens held FDU into shooting just 17 for 59 (28.8 percent) from the floor, including 8 of 26 (30.8 percent) from behind the arc. 

After being limited to just eight minutes in the first half because of foul trouble, DiPietrantonio took the game over during stretches in the second half. The Mount Laurel, New Jersey native shot 5 for 7 from the field and 5 for 7 from the line over the final 20 minutes. DiPietrantonio also snagged 13 of his 16 boards and five of his six blocks. His six rejections were the most bya player since alumnus Thomas Cook also blocked six against Ithaca College on Jan. 17, 2017. The program record for blocks in a game is eight, set by current assistant coach Michael Collins in 2004.

While the Ducks were in the process of shooting over 50 percent from the floor for the sixth time this season, the team's defense was even better, forcing FDU-Florham into multiple scoreless stretches as the Ducks built their lead.

Stevens put together runs of 10 and 11 straight points in the first half to take a three-point lead into the intermission. However, the Ducks were perhaps even better in the second half, using a 22- 3 run over the final 9:41 to break a 50-50 tie and secure the victory.  

The Devils came out firing after halftime, hitting four of their first six shots out of the intermission into a 42-36 advantage. FDU-Florham pushed its shooting percentage north of the 40 percent mark before the Ducks clamped down and practically held FDU scoreless over the final 10 minutes. 

While Stevens' defense was keeping FDU in check, the offense heated up, shooting 13 for 25 (54/2%) from the floor, including 3 for 6 from behind the arc. The Ducks also hit 12 of their 15 free throws in the second stanza.

Tonight's victory marked the first postseason victory for the Ducks, since the team defeated Utica College 79-71 in the 2017 Empire 8 Conference Tournament. 

Pivotal Point
  • A 14-0 run turned a three-point deficit into an 11-point lead for the Ducks.
  • Fleurantin made the first of two free throws to give FDU-Florham a 50-47 lead just past the midway point of the second half.
  • Cook drained a three to knot the teams at 50 before the Ducks scored the next 11 points to take control of the game.
  • Four different players scored during the sequence and the Ducks forced the Devils into nine straight misses in opening the lead.
  • During the 14-0 run, Stevens held FDU-Florham scoreless for over five minutes.

Inside the Numbers
  • Behind DePietrantonio's efforts, the Ducks held a 46-27 edge in rebounding, although FDU-Florham had a 12-11 edge on the offensive glass. Despite the Devils' edge on the offensive glass, Stevens held a 15-7 margin in second-chance points.
  • Stevens held a 36-10 advantage in points in the paint.
  • Cook and senior Michael Zignorski led the Ducks with three assists. Cook was also a team-leading +27.
  • Crowley finished 6 of 11 from the field in posting his seventh double-digit effort of the season. The Westfield, New Jersey native also recorded his second career rejection. Both of his blocks this season have come against FDU-Florham.
  • Neither team had a fast-break point.

Unsung Hero
  • Senior JoJo Mosca came off the bench to make one 3-point basket, while pulling down a career-high seven rebounds.

From the Court (Head Coach Bobby Hurley)
  • "Tonight was a true playoff battle. FDU is really talented and they played extremely hard for 40 minute. I was happy how we stayed with our game plan and were really focused defensively. The crowd was outstanding and I think our guys played off their energy."

Up Next
  • Men's Basketball welcomes Eastern University to campus on Feb. 29 with the MAC Freedom Championship and an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament on the line.
  • The teams split the season series with each team protecting its home court.
  • It will be the first MAC Freedom championship for either program.
  • Links for live stats and video are available on StevensDucks.com.

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