In a surprising turn of events, the Fairleigh Dickinson men’s basketball team encountered an unexpected mishap that caused a delay before their game against Long Island University. As the players were making their way from the locker room to the court at Steinberg Wellness Center in Brooklyn, they found themselves stuck in an elevator. Fortunately, after 15 minutes of waiting, the players were rescued by the FDNY.
Despite the unforeseen setback, the matchup between the Knights and Sharks eventually commenced after a delay of approximately 17 minutes. The delay, however, did not seem to affect the outcome of the game significantly. Fairleigh Dickinson emerged victorious with a narrow 84-82 win over LIU in overtime.
Last season, Fairleigh Dickinson gained national attention when they pulled off a stunning upset against No. 1 seed Purdue in the NCAA Tournament. This victory made them only the second No. 16 seed in tournament history to defeat the top seed. Fox Sports college basketball analyst, John Fanta, took a lighthearted approach to the elevator incident and last year’s triumph over Purdue, jokingly stating that “Purdue’s got nothing on FDU. But the Knights have met their match in a New York elevator shaft.”
Interestingly, this is not the first instance of a college basketball team encountering an elevator mishap. Just last year, the University of Miami men’s team found themselves trapped in an elevator during the NCAA Tournament. However, their ordeal lasted for a longer duration of 30 minutes after a defensive-centric meeting prior to their upset win over Houston.
The Fairleigh Dickinson basketball team’s unexpected elevator mishap serves as a reminder that even the most routine activities can encounter unexpected obstacles. However, it is commendable how the players remained calm and supportive of one another during their time in the elevator. Their ability to stay composed reflects their resilience and determination, traits that likely contributed to their victory over LIU.
