BROOKLYN, N.Y. – The LIU men's basketball team moved to 7-6 on the season Wednesday night, as the Blackbirds fell to Niagara University, 75-66 in the Barclays Center. It was the last non-conference game for LIU, who now have a week of rest before hosting Mount St. Mary's in the Steinberg Wellness Center.
 
Four different players scored in double figures for the Blackbirds at the arena of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets, but LIU couldn't convert late in the game, and the Purple Eagles notched their third win of the season.
 
The game got off to a promising start for LIU, as a three from freshman Julian Batts, and a converted three-point play from senior Nura Zanna gave LIU the 12-5 lead six minutes into the game. The Purple Eagles would go on a hot streak soon after, scoring seven unanswered points to tie the game up, 12-12 at 12:34. A jumper from sophomore Raul Frias would put LIU back on top, but another NU run put the visiting team up for good. This time, Niagara went on a 9-2 tear over two minutes, going up on LIU, 21-16.
 
Four minutes later, LIU went on a run of its own, using five points from senior Iverson Fleming as a part of a 9-2 spree to cut the lead to just one point, 32-31. A three pointer from freshman Ashtyn Bradley would tie it up, 34-34 with 47 seconds left in the half. The Eagles would get a late layup, and took the two-point lead into the break.
 
The Blackbirds threatened again early in the second half, taking the lead on a layup from freshman Jashaun Agosto, 44-22 at the 15:31 mark. But over the next five minutes, Niagara would outscore LIU, 14-2, as the Blackbirds shot 1-for-9 from the field in that span. With a 10 point cushion, 56-46, the visitors had room to breathe. They would widen the lead to 12 points five minutes later, and held on from there.
 
The Blackbirds continued to battle, and went bucket for bucket with Niagara in the final five minutes of action, but it wasn't enough, as the Purple Eagles took the 75-66 win.
 
BLACKBIRD BITS
- Niagara was led by three players scoring in double figures. Chris Barton led the team, shooting 100 percent from the field, for 14 points and seven rebounds. Matt Scott (14 points) and Marvin Prochet (13 points) were the other two high scorers for NU.
- Niagara center Dominic Robb had seven blocks against the Blackbirds.
- LIU once again struggled with shooting, going 38.6 percent from the field in the loss, and just 18.8 percent from long range.
- NU outrebounded LIU, 47-32, the widest rebounding margin any team has had over the Blackbirds this season.
- LIU had 11 steals and forced 20 turnovers, scoring 22 points off those turnovers, but the Eagles had 22 second chance points in the paint.
- Senior Jerome Frink led LIU with a double-double, despite shooting 5-for-21 from the field. The forward had 13 rebounds and 12 points to lead the Blackbirds.
- Three other players led LIU with double-digit scoring efforts: senior Iverson Fleming had 15 points and four steals, freshman Jashaun Agosto had 14 points, and senior Nura Zanna went 6-for-8 from the field for 13 points, along with seven boards.
- Up next, the Blackbirds open Northeast Conference season hosting Mount St. Mary's in the Steinberg Wellness Center, Thursday, December 29 at 4:30 p.m.