TEANECK, N.J. (January 8, 2026) - Chicago State men's basketball put together a resilient second-half surge on Thursday evening, but the comeback effort came up just short in a 70–63 road setback at FDU.
After trailing by 10 at the break, the Cougars showed impressive poise and energy in the second half, outscoring the Knights 42–39 and trimming the deficit to single digits multiple times down the stretch. CSU shot a strong 46 percent from the field in the final 20 minutes and knocked down 13 of 15 free throws to fuel the rally.
CJ Ray led the way with 15 points on an efficient 6-of-10 shooting performance, including three makes from beyond the arc.
Doyel Cockrill III added 14 points and continued his steady perimeter play with three triples of his own.
Stephen Byard delivered a major spark off the bench, finishing with 15 points and a team-high eight rebounds while providing toughness on both ends of the floor.
Malek Robinson chipped in nine points and two steals, while the Cougars' defense forced 14 FDU turnovers and held the Knights to under 39 percent shooting for the game.
Despite never grabbing the lead, Chicago State showed strong composure and continued growth, highlighted by a 9-0 run midway through the second half that swung momentum in its favor. The Cougars' bench also outscored FDU's reserves 17–18 in a balanced team effort.
Chicago State returns to action next week looking to build on Thursday's encouraging performance and carry its second-half momentum into the heart of conference play. The Cougars will return to action when they take on Stonehill College in NEC Conference play on Saturday, January 10th with tip-off set for 1pm inside Merkert Gymnasium.
