Preview: Fairleigh Dickinson at Long Island

NEW YORK (Interstat) — The Long Island Sharks, riding a wave of strong late-season form, will host the struggling Fairleigh Dickinson Knights in a Northeast Conference men’s basketball matchup Saturday at the Wellness, Recreation & Athletic Center.

The Sharks (20-10, 13-4 NEC) enter as one of the conference’s hottest teams, having won eight of their last ten games. They are coming off a commanding 73-56 home victory over Chicago State on Thursday, led by a 24-point performance from standout guard Jamal Fuller. Long Island’s success has been built on consistency, particularly at home where they boast a 12-3 record this season.

Conversely, the Knights (11-19, 7-10) have lost three of their last four, including a 76-59 defeat at Le Moyne on Thursday. Their season has been marked by offensive inconsistency, though guard Taeshaud Jackson has provided bright spots. Jackson is averaging 17.4 points over his last five games, including a 22-point effort in a win over Stonehill earlier this month. Fairleigh Dickinson will need a major performance from him to challenge the conference’s second-place team.

The player matchup between Jackson and Long Island’s Fuller will be a key storyline. Fuller has been a dynamic scorer for the Sharks, exceeding 20 points in three of his last five outings and providing defensive presence with multiple blocks in several recent games.

Long Island won the previous meeting this season, 66-59, at Fairleigh Dickinson on Jan. 17. The Knights will aim to split the season series and play spoiler as the Sharks jockey for postseason positioning in the final stretch of conference play.

Tip-off is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. EST on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026.