FDU WRAP UP

Thought it was time to lighten the mood for a minute and finish up the FDU wrap from Saturday's classic as I'd promised.
The Blue Devils showed a lot of gumption, overcoming both the big deficit and their own horrific shooting to gut out a win. Shemik Thompson's shot, more accurately the ability to be patient and get to the basket, was one of the best plays I've seen in the 5 years I've been on the beat.
Ken Horton was fantastic in overtime, when he was needed most. I've said a few times that he had disappeared late this year, but this was not one of those times. He stepped up when called upon.
Now comes a key stretch in the schedule. If CCSU can clean up and build some momentum heading into those final two road games, the Devils could put themselves in great shape.

But before we get any further into the future, let's go into the past for a second.
Time to go man-to-man.

Shemik Thompson: Ken Horton's twisting, mid-air finish of a botched alleyoop is still the play of the year from a physical standpoint, but Thompson's driving layup was a season-changer. Great poise, great play. Chris Baskerville's pass wasn't exactly Scott Burrell, but it was very good. Vince Rosario's tip and Ken Horton's quick pass made it possible. But Thompson's shot was fantastic. 10 boards, 5 assists and only 2 turnovers make up for the rough early shooting.

Devan Bailey: Terrific defense on FDU's guards, and he's getting comfortable taking open shots from up top. He doesn't have to make many, just enough to make defenses respect the possibility. The first step towards making that happen is taking it when it's there and nothing better is.

Robby Ptacek: Got to the line again and grabbed some rebounds. His shooting is missing at the moment, but his aggression is back. 41 minutes on a bad leg was good to see, too.

Chris Baskerville: An OK 16 minutes were turned into a great night with one pass.

Ken Horton: 23 points, 10 boards in 45 minutes. He never sat down. That's a kid who wants to be a factor. He's starting to head towards a very special year.

Vince Rosario: Threw himself into the crowd at the end, and it paid off.

De'Angelo Speech: His defense led to a five-second call on FDU that changed momentum and started the rally. Really, this was an incredible game.

Joe Efese: A nice hook shot, a couple of blocks, four boards, good at the line. It's starting to come. Is another big stretch drive in store for Efese like he had last year?

Terrell Allen: Made his only shot and grabbed a board.