Box Score FEBRUARY 4, 2015
KING'S MEN DOWN FDU 86-74 BEHIND RUTECKI DOUBLE-DOUBLEWILKES-BARRE — Sophomore forward
Dan Rutecki posted a double-double and the KIng's College men's basketball team overcame a five-point halftime deficit by scoring 52 points in the second stanza en route to an important 86-74 Freedom Conference victory over visiting FDU-Florham Wednesday night in Scandlon Gymnasium.
With the win King's improved to 11-9 overall and 4-5 in conference games after snapping a two-game losing streak. FDU, meanwhile, slipped to 1-19 overall and 0-9 in conference games.
FDU jumped out to a 10-5 lead with 15:56 to play in the first half after one-of-two foul shots from Donte Ali. The Monarchs answered with a 8-0 surge to take a 13-10 lead at the 12:52 mark following a lay-up from
Rich Douglas and an inside basket by
Chris Fazzini. FDU eventually came back and took leads of 17-15 and 19-17 with 8:56 to go but the Monarchs used a 9-0 run to build a 26-19 advantage with 6:20 remaining. The Devils, however, would outscore King's 20-8 the rest of the way to take a 39-34 lead at the break.
The Monarchs came out of the locker room and used two straight baskets from Rutecki to close to within 39-38. King's continued to chip away and took a 43-42 lead with 14:51 to go on a pair of foul shots by
Chris Fazzini. After the teams traded buckets and were later tied at 47-47 with 13:54 left, the Monarchs put together a 4-0 spurt to take a 51-47 lead with 12:56 to play following inside baskets by Rutecki and
Tim O'Shea.
FDU cut the lead to 53-50 on a lay-up by Ali but the Monarchs went on a 16-4 run to build a 69-54 lead after four straight points from Rutecki , one-of-two free throws by
John Fazzini, and an inside basket from Heston with 6:14 remaining in the contest.
King's eventually built its biggest lead of the game at 21 points when O'Shea scored inside to push the score to 86-65 with 2:02 on the clock. FDU score a pair of late three-pointers to set the final score.
Rutecki led King's with 28 points, including 22 in the second half, and added 10 rebounds and five assists.
John Fazzini finished with 18 points and three assists while
Tim O'Shea followed with 16 points and four rebounds.
Chris Fazzini was KIng's fourth double-figures scorer with 14 points and five rebounds.
Dan Borner chipped in with six points and two assists for the Monarchs.
The Monarchs, who had shooting problems in its previous two games, shot 50.8 (32-63) percent from the floor and were 50.0 (4-8) from three-point range. King's also performed well at the foul line, making 18-of-21 attempts.
FDU was led by Donte Ali with 21 points and seven rebounds while Steve Herdman followed with 13 points for the Devils.
King's will return to action Saturday with a 3:00 p.m. Game at Manhattanville College in Purchase, NY.
