BROOKLYN, N.Y. - A 14-0 run to start the second half by Saint Francis University proved to be the difference as the LIU Brooklyn men's basketball team fell to the Red Flash, 72-65, on Saturday afternoon at the Steinberg Wellness Center. The Blackbirds chipped away at a 13-point deficit and cut the margin to just one with 5:48 remaining but could not get over the hump in falling to 7-8 on the year and 1-3 in Northeast Conference play.
Junior
Jerome Frink scored in double figures for the 10th consecutive contest and finished with a game-high 18 points while sophomore
Martin Hermannsson closed with 17 points and three steals for LIU. Five players reached double figures in a balanced scoring effort for the Red Flash, led by 14 points from Greg Brown.
A three-pointer from junior
Joel Hernandez to open the scoring in the second half gave the Blackbirds a 33-32 lead, but SFU responded with 14 straight points to take control. Three-pointers from Brown and Ben Millaud-Meunier bookended layups from senior forward Ronnie Drinnon and helped the visitors open up a 46-33 cushion with 14:14 remaining.
Six straight points, including four from Frink, cut the margin to 48-42, and a three-pointer from the 6-7 forward that was followed by a driving hoop by Hermannsson brought the Blackbirds to within 51-47 with just under nine minutes left. A three-pointer from Georgios Angelou bumped the SFU advantage back to five, before redshirt junior
Nura Zanna scored in the paint and Hermannsson connected on a jumper that put the score at 54-53 in favor of the Red Flash with 5:48 on the clock.
Saint Francis responded with six consecutive points of its own to open up a seven-point lead, before a three-point play from Zanna brought LIU back to within 60-56 at the 3:52 mark. But every time the Blackbirds made a run, the Red Flash was able to keep them at arm's length. The two teams traded baskets until two free throws from Hermannsson and a floater in the lane from Frink cut the SFU lead to just two, 64-62, with just under a minute left.
But the Red Flash was able to hit all eight of its free-throw attempts down the stretch to seal the road win and improve to 7-8 on the season and 3-1 in NEC play.
The first half was a back-and-forth affair that featured five ties and eight lead changes. SFU opened up a 23-18 lead and forced LIU Brooklyn to call timeout at the 6:25 mark. But a personal 8-0 run by Hermannsson that included a pair of three-pointers pushed the Blackbirds in front, 26-23. With the score tied at 30-30, Brown connected on a buzzer-beating jump shot to give Saint Francis a 32-30 lead at halftime.
LIU Brooklyn hits the road for its next two games, beginning with a contest at Wagner on Thursday, Jan. 14. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.