MADISON, NJ – Down 13 points in the first half, the Manhattanville College men's basketball team roared back with a 50-point second half effort, knocking off the Fairleigh Dickinson University (Florham) Devils 81-69 in Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom action Wednesday, Jan. 23, from the Ferguson Recreation Center.

Sophomore Mike Granda (Monroe Township, N.J./St. Joseph) and freshman Jake Dunn (Staten Island, N.Y./Monsignor Farrell) finished with a game-high 20 points apiece for Manhattanville (8-10, 2-5 MACF); Granda scored 17 of his 20 and Dunn scored 13 of his 20 in the second half; Dunn's 20 points marked a new season best. Junior JoJo Cobbs (Elmsford, N.Y./Briarcliff) added 12 points, junior Cory Madden (Woodside, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy Memorial) and freshman Chris Brown (Miami, Fla./Coral Gables Senior) both added eight and sophomore Sean Smith, Jr. (Yonkers, N.Y./Sacred Heart) just missed a double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds. Anthony Mitchell finished with a team-high 18 points for FDU-Florham (4-14, 1-6 MACF).

The teams traded the lead in the early going, with a Cobbs three-pointer putting Manhattanville on top 10-9 with 16:24 left in the half. FDU-Florham held Manhattanville without a point for the next four minutes, opening a 14-10 lead. A three-pointer from Jake Dunn (Staten Island, N.Y./Monsignor Farrell) ended Manhattanville's scoring drought, but FDU-Florham answered with two straight three-pointers, seizing a 20-13 lead. The Devils maintained at least a five-point edge the rest of the half, eventually opening a 13-point lead at 34-21 before Manhattanville closed the half on a 10-3 run. FDU-Florham ended the first half with a 13-0 advantage in points off free throws.

That 10-3 half-ending run was only the beginning for the Valiants, who tied the game at 39 just 2:02 into the second half. After a few lead changes, Granda and Dunn hit back-to-back three-pointers for a 48-44 Manhattanville lead. The Devils battled back to grab a 56-55 lead, but Madden and Granda each made a three-pointer and Dunn converted a four-point play as Manhattanville grabbed a 67-61 lead with 7:35 to play. Granda, Smith Jr. and Cobbs combined for Manhattanville's final 14 points as the Valiants opened and held a double-digit lead over the game's final 4:30.

The Valiants return home to Kennedy Gymnasium Saturday, Jan. 26, for a 3:00 p.m. tip against the Delaware Valley University Aggies in another MAC Freedom battle.