Fairleigh Dickinson vs. Notre Dame Men's Basketball Preview
NOTRE DAME (5-1) VS. FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON (1-4)
Where: Purcell Pavilion, South Bend, Ind.
Time/TV/Internet: Tonight, 7 p.m. EST; Available on FOX Regional Sports Network, UND.com, Sirius/XM Radio Channel 989
Live Stats: FOUND HERE
Series Facts: This is the second all-time meeting between the two schools. Fairleigh Dickinson University — based in New Jersey and a member of the Northeast Conference — played and lost at Notre Dame, 75-57, in December of 2014.
NOTRE DAME OVERVIEW
The Irish have rebounded after dropping their season-opener against North Carolina with five consecutive wins. Most have been of the routine variety but the 64-62 overtime win over Toledo last week was anything but.
Notre Dame needed a miracle three-point shot from forward Nate Lasweski at the regulation buzzer to send the game to overtime, then some good defensive work to secure the win.
Impressively, this was Notre Dame 13th win in its last 16 overtime games.
FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON OVERVIEW
Decimated by graduation after a magical 2018-19 season, the Knights won their first game this season over FDU-Florham but have lost four straight since to DePaul, Fordham, Army and Lafayette.
FDU finished 21-14 overall last season and upset top-seeded St. Francis in the Northeast Conference Championship to earn a NCAA Tournament berth against Prairie View A&M in a first-four matchup in Dayton.
FDU prevailed 82-76 in Dayton before being ousted by top-seeded Gonzaga in the Round of 64.
GAME OUTLOOK
The game against FDU will mark the 30th meeting between the Irish and a team from the Northeast Conference. Notre Dame is 29-0.
Despite missing the game Nov. 18 against Presbyterian with a stomach illness, Irish senior forward John Mooney continues to make his case as not only an ACC Player of the Year candidate but also a potential all-American. Mooney has pulled down 15 or more rebounds in three consecutive games, joining Bryant’s Patrick Harding as the only Division I players to do so this season.
FDU features three starters — junior guard Jahill Jenkins (15.3), senior forward Kaleb Bishop (14.4) and junior forward Elyjah Williams (13.6) averaging in double figures.
ND 78, FDU 62
QUICK HITS:
*Notre Dame forced 21 turnovers in the overtime victory over Toledo — the most for a Brey team in six years.
*While Notre Dame will be playing in its sixth and final game of a long homestead, FDU is playing its fifth straight road game.
*Irish senior guard T.J. Gibbs enters tonight’s game with 298 career assists and will likely become the 21st ND player to reach the 300 mark.
QUOTEABLE:
“You know, just my coaches and my teammates told me I’ve been getting great looks and eventually they’d fall so that gave me a lot of confidence. Definitely when Coach Brey told me to just step up and take it, that gave me a lot of confidence,” Laszewski on sinking the three-point shot at the regulation buzzer to set up an overtime win over Toledo.
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