Rutherford NJ - Felician University Men's Basketball headed over to Saint Asylum this afternoon. In a matchup that came down to the very end, the Golden Falcons would hold off Saint Asylum and pick up their 5th win on the season, 75.73. Here's what happened during this afternoons contest.

First Half - Felician opened the first half with strong energy, led by key plays in the paint. Tavian Pullock quickly set the tone with an early jumper, followed by Jhonny Tovar and Jonathan Izemef converting layups to give Felician an edge. Izemef's dominance on both ends, including a block and defensive rebounds, anchored the team. His contributions included a powerful dunk off a fast break and multiple second-chance points. Jabri Fitzpatrick played a pivotal role in creating opportunities, tallying assists and scoring critical buckets. Jared White also stepped up with timely jumpers and a clutch three-pointer to extend Felician's lead. Marcus Pierce added steady scoring, highlighted by a strong drive late in the half. Felician's defensive effort was spearheaded by Izemef and Fitzpatrick, who combined for multiple blocks and steals, frustrating St. Anselm's offense. Despite some turnovers, Felician maintained a consistent lead, heading into the half up 42-33, with solid team contributions across the board.

Second Half - Felician opened the second half with momentum, quickly cutting into the deficit with Erik Oliver-Bush contributing on both ends, including a layup, free throw, and defensive rebounds. Tavian Pullock's sharp shooting stood out early, hitting a big three-pointer at 18:48 to bring Felician closer. Jhonny Tovar and Jabri Fitzpatrick were instrumental, with Fitzpatrick sinking back-to-back free throws and Tovar connecting on a crucial three-pointer with 13:47 remaining to keep the game within reach. Felician's defense was relentless, highlighted by Jonathan Izemef's strong rebounding and shot-blocking presence, which led to key possessions. At 12:29, Izemef's layup gave Felician a three-point edge. Moments later, he extended Felician's lead with another layup at 11:37 after a stellar assist from Jared White. As the game progressed, Jabri Fitzpatrick took control offensively, hitting two clutch three-pointers at 5:17 and 4:54 to tie the game and eventually put Felician ahead. He followed up with a jumper at 3:22 to give Felician a two-point lead, demonstrating composure under pressure. In the final minutes, Tavian Pullock added a critical layup to extend Felician's lead to four points. St. Anselm fought back to tie the game, but Jabri Fitzpatrick's jumper with just six seconds remaining proved to be the decisive play. His basket, assisted by Jared White, gave Felician a 75-73 victory. On the final defensive stand, Felician held strong, securing the rebound on a missed layup by St. Anselm to seal the win.

After a hard fought victory, the Golden Falcons get a few days off and prepare for their next contest this Wednesday at home against Bentley at 7:00 PM!