Fairleigh Dickinson routs Texas Southern to earn date with No. 1 Purdue in March Madness

Ansley Almonor scored 23 factors, and Fairleigh Dickinson beat Texas Southern 84-61 Wednesday evening to earn its first NCAA Tournament win in 4 seasons.

The Knights held a 14-2 lead after a 12-0 run within the opening 3:29 and by no means gave up the lead. Grant Singleton scored seven factors throughout a 19-6 run, when the Knights led by as many as 18 on the finish of the primary half.

Jordan Gilliam made a jumper that received Texas Southern as shut as 10 factors with 10:01 left within the second half. The Tigers shot 42% and went 1-for-17 from 3-point distance.

Ansley Almonor of the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights celebrates after his basket towards the Texas Southern Tigers throughout the second half in a First Four sport of the NCAA males’s basketball match at University of Dayton Arena March 15, 2023, in Dayton, Ohio.  (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

Fairleigh Dickinson shot 50% and superior to the East Region to play top-seeded Purdue in Columbus, Ohio, Friday.

Joe Munden Jr. scored 17 factors, Demetre Roberts had 15, Singleton completed with 13 and Sean Moore added 10 for Fairleigh Dickinson (20-15).

John Walker III led Texas Southern (14-21) with 22 factors. Joirdon Karl Nicholas added 10.

Ansley Almonor (5) of the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights celebrates with Grant Singleton (4) towards the Texas Southern Tigers throughout the second half in a First Four sport of the NCAA males’s basketball match at University of Dayton Arena March 15, 2023, in Dayton, Ohio.  (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

BIG PICTURE

Fairleigh Dickinson: First-year coach Tobin Anderson circled a Knights squad that went 4-22 a season in the past.

Texas Southern: The Tigers missed their first 13 3’s earlier than making their first with 4:52 remaining. Their 28.4% clip this season from 3-point distance ranked worst within the Southwest Athletic Conference, and Texas Southern missed out on profitable its third-straight look within the First Four.

Head coach Tobin Anderson and Demetre Roberts (2) of the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights throughout the second half towards the Texas Southern Tigers in a First Four sport of the NCAA males’s basketball match at University of Dayton Arena March 15, 2023, in Dayton, Ohio.  (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

UP NEXT

Fairleigh Dickinson will play Purdue on Friday.