MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. – A barrage of threes to start the second half brought the LIU Brooklyn men's basketball team within two points of Minnesota Wednesday night, but the Blackbirds couldn't maintain momentum, falling to the Gophers, 76-66. Senior Iverson Fleming's career-high six three pointers all came in the second half to lead LIU's efforts against their Big Ten opponents, as LIU moves to 7-4 on the season.

The Gophers had a 14-point lead at the break, but Fleming, along with teammate Jashaun Agosto, all but erased that deficit in the first three minutes of the second stanza. Nine seconds into the second half, the senior drained his first three-pointer of the game, and Agosto added another 30 seconds later. Fleming then hit back-to-back threes for the Blackbirds, capping a 12-0 run, cutting the lead to 38-36, and forcing Minnesota head coach Richard Pitino to call a timeout with 17:48 on the clock. It did little to stop the senior's momentum. Two minutes later, he hit another three to keep the Blackbirds close, 42-39.

But this time, the Gophers were able to answer with a three of their own, and followed it with back-to-back baskets from Dupree McBrayer, to widen the lead back up to double digits, 49-39. McBrayer was Minnesota's answer to Fleming, as the sophomore guard went 7-for-8 in the second half, scoring 15 of his 21 points when it mattered most for Minnesota. McBrayer would use a single-handed 5-0 run to give the home team its widest lead of the day, 67-52, with just under seven minutes to play in the game.

The Blackbirds had a strong start to the game, as baskets from Agosto and senior Nura Zanna put LIU up, 4-0 in the early goings. But a 10-1 run by Minnesota widened the home team lead to 10-5, and the Gophers methodically increased their advantage from there. A three from freshman Julian Batts at 5:45 in the first would close the lead to six, 22-16, but the home team closed the half scoring four-straight three pointers and two made free throws, to hold the edge, 38-24 at the half.

Fleming's long-range shooting kept the lead from getting out of hand as the clock dwindled; he would hit two more three-pointers in the final five minutes of play to put LIU within 10, including one with eight seconds on the clock to close the game, 76-66.

BLACKBIRDS BITS

• LIU out-rebounded Minnesota, 38-32 in the loss. It was the seventh time this season that the Blackbirds' have been stronger on the boards.
• Senior Iverson Fleming set a new career-high with six three pointers made. He finished the game with 24 points, shooting 9-for-14 from the field, and 6-for-8 from behind the arc.
• Senior Jerome Frink had 13 points and nine rebounds against his old FIU coach Pitino.
• Senior Nura Zanna had his second-straight double-double, with a game-best 10 rebounds and 10 points, shooting 4-for-8 from the field.
• Sophomore Julius van Sauers earned his second start of the season, and had six rebounds, five points, and a career-high five assists to lead LIU. Freshman Julian Batts also had a new career mark for assists, as he was second on the team with four helpers.
• Minnesota had four players score in double figures, as they improved to 11-1 on the season. The Gophers were led by Dupree McBrayer, with 21 points. Nate Mason chipped in 19, Jordan Murphy added 13, and Eric Curry had 11, along with a team-high eight rebounds.
• LIU had 19 turnovers in the loss, with Minnesota scoring 17 points off those turnovers.
• Up next, the Blackbirds return home to the Steinberg Wellness Center for the first time since November 11. LIU will host Dartmouth, Sunday, December 18 at 2 p.m.