HACKENSACK, N.J. (Interstat) — Fairleigh Dickinson defeated Chicago State 70-63 in a men’s NCAA basketball game Thursday night at Rothman Center. The Knights built a 10-point halftime lead and withstood a second-half push from the Cougars. Taeshaud Jackson led Fairleigh Dickinson with 17 points and 14 rebounds. Joey Niesman added 18 points for the Knights. Stephen Byard scored 15 points for Chicago State, which cut the deficit to two points late. The Cougars shot well from three-point range but were outscored 25-14 at the free-throw line. Fairleigh Dickinson improved to 5-11, while Chicago State fell to 2-14.

HACKENSACK, N.J. (Interstat) — Taeshaud Jackson recorded a double-double with 17 points and 14 rebounds, and Fairleigh Dickinson held off a second-half rally from Chicago State for a 70-63 victory in a Northeast Conference men’s basketball game Thursday night at Rothman Center. The Knights, who led by as many as 13 points in the first half, saw their advantage whittled down to a single possession late before securing the win at the free-throw line. Joey Niesman led all scorers with 18 points for Fairleigh Dickinson, while Arthur Cox added 12. Stephen Byard and CJ Ray each scored 15 points to pace the Cougars, with Doyel Cockrill contributing 14. Chicago State, which shot just 40.8% from the field, dropped its third consecutive game. The contest was defined by a sloppy, defensive-oriented first half and a frantic, foul-plagued finish. Fairleigh Dickinson built a 31-21 halftime lead by capitalizing on Chicago State’s offensive struggles. The Cougars committed eight turnovers before the break and shot 1 for 9 from three-point range in the opening period. Jackson, a 6-foot-6 junior from Denver, anchored the Knights’ early effort, controlling the glass with seven defensive rebounds in the first half while adding five points. His presence helped limit Chicago State to just three offensive rebounds for the entire game. The Cougars emerged from halftime with renewed energy, opening the second period with a 9-3 run to cut the deficit to 34-30. The Knights responded, pushing their lead back to 11 points on a Taeshaud Jackson three-pointer with 12:54 remaining. Chicago State refused to fade, chipping away at the margin with a more efficient offensive approach. A three-pointer from Ray with 1:31 left brought the Cougars within 63-60, marking the closest they had been since the game’s opening minutes. The most critical sequence followed immediately. On the ensuing possession, Jackson was fouled and made one of two free throws. After a Chicago State miss, Arthur Cox sank a floating jumper in the lane to extend the Knights’ lead to 67-60 with 36 seconds remaining. Ray answered with a deep three-pointer just eight seconds later to make it 67-63, but the Cougars would get no closer. Fairleigh Dickinson sealed the game at the line, with Niesman making two free throws with 15 seconds left and the Knights forcing a final turnover. Despite the loss, Chicago State’s defense was active, generating 14 turnovers and recording eight steals. The Knights, however, dominated the free-throw line, attempting 34 shots to the Cougars’ 17, and made 25. Fairleigh Dickinson also won the rebounding battle 38-28, with Jackson’s 14 boards leading the way. With the victory, Fairleigh Dickinson improved to 5-11 overall. Chicago State fell to 2-14. Both teams continue NEC play on Saturday, with the Knights traveling to face New Haven and the Cougars visiting Stonehill.

Preview: Struggling Teams Seek Rare Win as Chicago State Visits Fairleigh Dickinson HACKENSACK, N.J. (Interstat) — Two teams looking to halt extended slides will meet Thursday when Chicago State visits Fairleigh Dickinson in a non-conference men’s basketball game organized by the Northeast Conference. The matchup at Rothman Center pits the Cougars (2-13) against the Knights (4-11), with both sides entering on multi-game losing streaks. Chicago State has dropped four straight since its last win on Dec. 14, including a 74-55 home loss to Long Island on Sunday. Fairleigh Dickinson has lost three of its last four, most recently falling 85-82 at Saint Francis (PA) on Sunday. Chicago State will lean on guard Marcus Tankersley, who is coming off a 10-point, six-rebound performance against Long Island. He scored a season-high 15 points in the Cougars’ last victory at Loyola Chicago last month. For Fairleigh Dickinson, guard Joey Niesman is a focal point after a standout 23-point, eight-rebound, five-assist effort in the narrow loss to Saint Francis. Both teams have faced challenging early schedules. The Cougars’ two wins are against Loyola Chicago and St. Francis (NY), but they have endured double-digit losses to power conference opponents like Indiana, Iowa and Minnesota. The Knights’ victories have come against lower-division Lehman and Manor, along with Division I foes Mercyhurst and Saint Elizabeth, but they too have struggled against high-major competition. The game offers a chance for either squad to build momentum before resuming their respective conference slates. Chicago State begins a stretch of NEC games on Jan. 17, while Fairleigh Dickinson opens its NEC schedule on Jan. 17 against Long Island. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. EST Thursday at the Rothman Center.