Fairleigh Dickinson routs Texas Southern to earn date with No. 1 Purdue in March Madness
Ansley Almonor led the way with 23 points
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ansley Almonor scored 23 points, and Fairleigh Dickinson beat Texas Southern 84-61 Wednesday night to earn its first NCAA Tournament win in four seasons.
The Knights held a 14-2 lead after a 12-0 run in the opening 3:29 and never gave up the lead. Grant Singleton scored seven points during a 19-6 run, when the Knights led by as many as 18 at the end of the first half.
Jordan Gilliam made a jumper that got Texas Southern as close as 10 points with 10:01 left in the second half. The Tigers shot 42% and went 1-for-17 from 3-point distance.
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Ansley Almonor of the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights celebrates after his basket against the Texas Southern Tigers during the second half in a First Four game of the NCAA men's basketball tournament at University of Dayton Arena March 15, 2023, in Dayton, Ohio. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Fairleigh Dickinson shot 50% and advanced to the East Region to play top-seeded Purdue in Columbus, Ohio, Friday.
Joe Munden Jr. scored 17 points, Demetre Roberts had 15, Singleton finished with 13 and Sean Moore added 10 for Fairleigh Dickinson (20-15).
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}John Walker III led Texas Southern (14-21) with 22 points. Joirdon Karl Nicholas added 10.
Ansley Almonor (5) of the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights celebrates with Grant Singleton (4) against the Texas Southern Tigers during the second half in a First Four game of the NCAA men's basketball tournament at University of Dayton Arena March 15, 2023, in Dayton, Ohio. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
BIG PICTURE
Fairleigh Dickinson: First-year coach Tobin Anderson turned around a Knights squad that went 4-22 a season ago.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Texas Southern: The Tigers missed their first 13 3’s before making their first with 4:52 remaining. Their 28.4% clip this season from 3-point distance ranked worst in the Southwest Athletic Conference, and Texas Southern missed out on winning its third-straight appearance in the First Four.
Head coach Tobin Anderson and Demetre Roberts (2) of the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights during the second half against the Texas Southern Tigers in a First Four game of the NCAA men's basketball tournament at University of Dayton Arena March 15, 2023, in Dayton, Ohio. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fairleigh Dickinson will play Purdue on Friday.