MADISON, NJ – Andy Fleurantin and Oliver Ortman combined for 59 of FDU-Florham's 77 points to lead the Devils past Wilkes University 77-70 Saturday afternoon in a MAC Freedom contest.
 
Wilkes dropped to 8-9 overall and 1-5 in league games while FDU-Florham improved to 8-9 overall and evened its conference record at 3-3.
 
FDU built a nine-point halftime lead thanks to the hot shooting of Fleurantin and Ortman who combined for 8-of-13 shooting from three-point range on the day.
 
FDU kept its lead through the first eight minutes of the second half before a Drake Marshall (Gainesville, VA/Patriot) jumper and fast break layup from Mark Mullins (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Valley) cut the Devils lead to 55-48 with 11:02 on the clock.
 
The Devils answered quickly over the next three minutes as five straight points from Ortman and a bucket by Cameron Saintil pushed the lead to 62-48.
 
The Devils lead grew to its biggest of the game at 16 points two minutes later before Wilkes began to chip away over the next five minutes of play. Back-to-back scores from Mullins and Marshall followed by buckets by Bradley Anacreon (Nesconset, NY/Sachem North) and Marshall again pulled the Colonels to within five trailing 69-64 with :51 remaining.
 
Rob Pecorelli (Huntington, NY/Harborfields) made good on two free throws as Wilkes trailed 70-66 with :33 left, but two more FDU free throws kept the Devils ahead 73-68 with :24 on the clock. Marshall scored in the paint with :15 on the clock before Wilkes was forced to foul. Fleurantin went 2-for-2 from the line and Wilkes missed a three-point attempt on its next possession with :03 before fouling one last time to stop the clock where Fleurantin sealed the game with two more makes.
 
Mullins and Pecorelli each finished with 15 points while Mullins added 10 rebounds and Pecorelli eight boards. Anacreon added a career-best 10 points and five rebounds, Jake Robel (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) chipped in 10 points and seven caroms while Marshall rounded out the double figure scorers with 10 points and five boards.
 
Fleurantin poured in a game-high 33 points to lead FDU  while Ortman followed with 26 points and three assists.
 
Wilkes is back in action Wednesday looking to get in the win column with a MAC Freedom road test at Delaware Valley University. Tip-off is set for 6:00 p.m. in Doylestown, Pa.