BROOKLYN, N.Y. - Behind sterling performances from junior Jerome Frink and sophomore Martin Hermannsson, the LIU Brooklyn men's basketball team defeated Sacred Heart, 92-84, at the Steinberg Wellness Center on Wednesday evening. Frink dominated the first half, scoring 17 of his team-high 24 points prior to intermission, and closed with 24 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks for the Blackbirds, who evened their record at 10-10 on the season and improved to 4-5 in Northeast Conference play.

Hermannsson put together one of the best all-around performances in NCAA Division I basketball this season, joining Providence point guard Kris Dunn and LSU freshman sensation Ben Simmons as the only players to register a 20-point, seven-rebound, seven-assist and five-steal game. The 6-3 guard closed with 22 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and five steals, and also became the first college basketball player since at least 2010-11 to accumulate all of those totals without turning the ball over.

The contest remained close in the first half, with neither team building a lead larger than four over the first 16 minutes of action. Following a three-pointer from SHU's Cane Broome that gave the visitors a 28-26 lead, the Blackbirds unfurled a 13-1 run that pushed the home squad in front by double figures, 39-29. 

Frink was the catalyst during the spurt, igniting the run with a pair of three-point buckets. The 6-7 forward hit three trifectas in the opening period and went 7-for-10 from the floor en route to 17 points that helped LIU head into the locker room with a 39-33 lead. Sophomore Trevin Woods was also a key in the first 20 minutes, scoring seven points and grabbing five rebounds in 11 minutes off the bench.

A pair of three's from Broome and another from Sacred Heart guard Sean Hoehm pulled the Pioneers to within one at 43-42, before the Blackbirds unleashed another extended run. LIU Brooklyn scored the next 10 points and 14 of the next 17 to build its largest lead of the game at 57-45 with 13:57 remaining. 

Sacred Heart responded with a 10-0 run that included eight points from Hoehm, who finished with a career-high 19 points, to pull to within two at 57-55 with 12:07 on the clock. An 8-2 spurt from the Blackbirds, including four from Hermannsson, bumped the margin back to eight before SHU fought back and cut the lead to just one following a Broome three-pointer at the 5:53 mark.

Another three from Broome, who finished with a season-high 38 points, tied the game at 77-77 with 3:06 to go in the second half before junior Aakim Saintil put his stamp on the game down the stretch. Saintil, who battle foul trouble throughout much of the contest, scored six of his 14 points over the final minutes as the Blackbirds closed the contest by outscoring the Pioneers, 16-8, to get the victory. 

All told, four players reached double figures in scoring for the Blackbirds: Frink, Hermannsson, Saintil and junior Joel Hernandez, who closed with 15 points. Woods finished with seven points and also grabbed 10 rebounds to go along with a pair of blocked shots.

LIU Brooklyn continued NEC play on Saturday, Jan. 30 against Fairleigh Dickinson. The contest will be held at the Steinberg Wellness Center, beginning at 3:00 p.m.