(boxscore)
 2/27/06 --
Long Island University registered a come-from-behind victory,
67-64 over neighboring St. Francis (NY) in Northeast Conference
men’s basketball action on Monday evening. Junior James
Williams (DeSoto, Texas) was named the Battle of Brooklyn’s
Most Valuable Player after his 6-of-13 showing from the floor,
scoring a game-high 18 points, recording five assists and
three rebounds. He had four of the Blackbirds’ eight
3-pointers.
Sophomore forward Kellen Allen (Mansfield, Texas) netted 15 points
and freshman guard Tyrone Mattison (Toronto, Canada) added 13
for the Blackbirds, seeded sixth in the NEC Tournament which
begins Thursday. With the loss, the Terriers (10-17, 7-11 NEC)
were eliminated from post-season play.
Senior Aubin Scott (Hempstead, N.Y.) notched his fifth double-digit
rebounding effort of the season, grabbing 10. Sophomore Eugene
Kotorobai (Richmond Hill, Ontario) tied his career-high, corralling
13 boards.
With an 11-point halftime lead, the Terriers added to their lead
early in the second period. A triple from Sean Dantzler pushed
the advantage to 49-35 – their largest advantage -with
16:04 remaining. The Blackbirds, however, would quietly mount
the comeback with a slew of field goals and key free throws down
the stretch.
Down by 10 with just under 10 minutes showing, a pair from Allen
at the charity stripe, a jumper by Williams and a triple from
Mattison cut the lead to 52-49 with 7:40 to play.
The Terriers, needing a victory to keep their season alive, still had a four-point
edge (60-56) with 4:03 remaining following a lay-up from last year’s Battle
of Brooklyn MVP Allan Sheppard. LIU again answered, as Williams drained a fade-away
and Kotorobai converted one-of-two from the line to pull to 60-59 with 3:18 to
play.
LIU would take its first lead since early in the first half on its next possession,
a jump hook from Allen in the lane with 2:22 showing. Mattison and Williams combined
for a 6-for-6 performance from the free throw line in the final 30 seconds to
seal the triumph.
LIU led 15-12 at the 12:55 mark of the first half on a hook from Allen in the
paint. The Terriers out-scored their hosts, 19-8, over the next eight minutes
to build a 31-20 edge with 4:38 remaining in the half. SFNY led 36-27 at intermission.
Jamall Womack scored seven of his team-high 14 points in the first period.
The contest marked the official opening of the Wellness, Recreation and Athletic
Center, the largest building project in the Campus’ 79-history.
The men's basketball
team advances to the Northeast Conference tournament, where
they will face Monmouth on Thursday, Mar. 2 at 7:00 p.m.
in West Long Branch, N.J.
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