FDU: Proof small wonders come true
A fairly ridiculous notion becomes the most surprising story of the tournament
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The best story in this NCAA tournament is a fairly ridiculous one.
For years, outsiders and even some of Fairleigh Dickinson’s proud alumni have called the private, commuter school in Teaneck, N.J., by another name — an inside joke and pet moniker suggesting a reputation for partying.
Fairly Ridiculous. You bet.
That would certainly describe what the Knights, college basketball’s smallest squad which includes some Division II players brought to FDU by Tobin Anderson, the team’s fast-talking, firstyear vagabond coach, have accomplished in a few days.
From underdogs to overnight sensations. March madmen.
Only in the NCAA field due to a technicality, Fairleigh Dickinson, which went 4-22 last season, won a First Four game in Dayton before Friday night’s stunning 6358 win against top-seeded Purdue. It was just the second No. 16 seed win against a No. 1 seed in men’s tournament history.
The Knights awakened Saturday to a new world.
“Life changing,” said FDU forward Sean Moore, who scored 19 points and blocked a layup in the final seconds to help seal the win. “That whole game has changed everybody on our team, staff, students, everybody who goes to Fairleigh Dickinson University.
“Everything is different now. Phone has been going crazy, still is.”
Same for Anderson, who spent much of his morning doing national TV interviews following an upset
that reverberated across the sports world.
“I’ve got, like, 1,200 unanswered texts right now,” he said. “The problem each time I look at my phone it’s more and more. My message, if anybody’s listening, stop texting right now. Give me a chance to catch up.”
Using their superior speed and quickness at both ends of the floor to fluster the Big Ten champion Boilermakers, FDU’s players brought Purdue 7-foot-4 star center Zach Edey down to their level and advanced in
the East Region.
On Sunday, the Knights (21-15) will face No. 9 seed Florida Atlantic (32-3), which nipped Memphis 6665 in the final seconds late Friday night, for a spot in next week’s Sweet 16 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
That possibility is almost too much for the 51-year-old Anderson to fathom.
“I wouldn’t have to fly back to Jersey,” he said. “I could jog back, take off running, be like Forrest Gump or something. That would be incredible.”
Incredible may have already happened.
Over the past few days, Anderson, who was born in Iowa, played college ball in Connecticut and started his coaching career bouncing from one small college to another in upstate New York, has referenced “Hoosiers” several times.
In May, Anderson took over a program in need of a massive renovation. Just hours after he was hired at Fairleigh Dickinson, he held his first practice and quickly realized the job would require patience along with an influx of talent.
He knew just where to find some, convincing four players on his team at St. Thomas Aquinas College, a Division-II power about 15 miles from New York, to join him at FDU.
One of them to make the leap was 5-foot-8 guard
Demetre Roberts.
“Coming out of high school, not having no D-I looks, I didn’t pout,” said Roberts, who had 12 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists against Purdue. “I didn’t sit around and mope all day. I trusted coach. I trusted him all the way and I’m still with him. And five years later, I’m still here.”
Not only did Anderson’s sales pitch to enroll at FDU work, so did his proposal to the Knights on how to beat Purdue. They took the floor fully confident they could contain Edey despite being outsized, a 22 1/2-point underdog.
“We felt we could beat them ever since we were watching film, trying to prepare for them,” said 6-foot-6 center Ansley Almonor, FDU’s tallest player. “We’re all close. We’re like brothers. That was just a regular game for us.”