LIU Concludes 2005 Season, Falls 70-62 to FDU in NEC Tourney Semifinals

(boxscore)

3/6/05 -- Senior Derek Bell (Brooklyn, N.Y.) scored a career-high 31 points but it was not enough as fourth-seeded Long Island University dropped a 70-62 decision to #2 Fairleigh Dickinson in the Northeast Conference semifinals on Sunday evening at the Rothman Center. The Knights (19-12) host Wagner, a 63-60 victor over #1 Monmouth, on Wednesday night for the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Bell went 13-of-19 from the field, notching seven rebounds and three steals in his last contest in a Blackbirds uniform. Freshman Randy Jones (West Palm Beach, Fla.) added 10 for LIU (14--15).

FDU was paced by guard Tamien Trent who scored 18 points, 16 of those coming in the second half. Gordon Klaiber and Mensah Peterson added 16 and 12 points, respectively.

Jumpers from Trent, Peterson and Klaiber gave the Knights a 6-0 lead in the first 3 1/2 minutes of the contest. LIU countered offensively with a 24-5 tear to take a 13-point advantage. Bell scored 10 points during the run, hitting from a variety of places in the low post. James Williams closed the run on a fast break layup to make it 24-11 with 6:26 remaining in the half.

FDU trimmed the lead to, 24-19, following an 8-0 spurt capped by Gadi Buch's triple at the 4:44 mark. Bell scored the next eight points for LIU over the final 4:19 of the half for a 32-19 lead at the break.

The Knights- playing with a roster of seven upperclassmen- opened the second stanza with a flurry of 3-pointers. A 14-5 spurt, including two triples each from Peterson and Trent, cut the deficit to 37-33 with 15:55 showing. The Blackbirds answered with a 12-2 run, going inside to Bell for six points and building their largest lead of the game at 49-35 with 10:49 remaining.

LIU led 52-44 on a free throw by Bell with 8:22 to play only to see the Knights run off the next 17 straight points. FDU took its first lead since early in the contest on a layup from Klaiber at the 5:54 mark.

The Blackbirds scored the next four points on layups from Williams and Bell to trim the margin to 61-56 with 1:09 remaining but the damage was done. FDU closed the game on a 36-13 run in total, going 9-of-10 from the free throw line in the final minute to seal the comeback.