BROOKLYN, N.Y. – It wasn't a pretty game for either team Thursday night in the Steinberg Wellness Center, but the LIU Brooklyn men's basketball team came out on top, beating Central Connecticut State, 60-49. It is the fourth-straight Northeast Conference victory for LIU, moving the Blackbirds to 11-7 overall, and 4-1 NEC action.
 
The game was one of the lowest scoring for LIU this season, as both teams shot a meager 34.4 percent from the field. The visiting Blue Devils took advantage of a sluggish start by the Blackbirds to lead early, going up, 5-1 just under the 15-minute mark. Sophomore Raul Frias hit back-to-back three pointers for the Blackbirds that would give them their first lead of the day, 9-5 at 12:29. CCSU would use a quick 6-0 run to tie it up, but freshman Jashaun Agosto and senior Iverson Fleming would drain two shots that put the Blackbirds up, 14-11 at 6:54, and LIU would hold on to the lead for the rest of the game. For the remainder of the first half, LIU slowly widened the lead, and would take a 26-20 advantage into the break.
 
Senior Jerome Frink, who'd gotten in early foul trouble in the first half, came out of half time on fire. The forward would go on a solo 7-0 run that propelled LIU to its widest lead of the game, 33-22 at the 15:13 mark. CCSU's Austin Nehls answered with a run of his own, however. The sophomore scored 10 straight points for the Blue Devils, helping close the lead to just four points, 38-34 with 11:27 on the clock.
 
CCSU kept it close from there, and threatened the Blackbirds late. A 6-2 run that started with four minutes on the clock saw the visiting team come within four points, 53-49, at 1:04. But Fleming would hit a big three pointer with 39 seconds to play that would give the Blackbirds some breathing room. And with the Blue Devils fouling to regain possession, Fleming clinched the game for LIU, going 4-for-4 from the free throw line in the final 25 seconds of action, as LIU won, 60-49.
 
NOTES FROM THE NEST
- Iverson Fleming led all scorers with 18 points, along with four rebounds.
- Senior Jerome Frink had 17 points and eight rebounds, while junior Nura Zanna had his ninth double double of the season, with 10 points and 11 boards.
- Sophmore Raiquan Clark was a defensive force for LIU, grabbing a career-high 11 rebounds, and swatting away three blocked shots.
- LIU had 21 offensive rebounds in the win, scoring 17 second-chance points.
- Austin Nehls and Khalen Cumberlander led CCSU with 13 points each.
- Up next, the Blackbirds host borough rival St. Francis Brooklyn for a nationally televised battle, Saturday, January 14 at 3 p.m. Fans can watch live on ESPN3.