BRONX, N.Y. – The LIU Brooklyn men's basketball team saw a late rally fall short for the second game in a row Monday night. The Blackbirds cut Fordham's lead to single digits in the final two minutes of the game, but couldn't overcome the first half deficit, and fell to the Rams, 81-68. Junior Raiquan Clark led LIU with 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting, while Joel Hernandez had 12 points and sophomore Jashaun Agosto chipped in 11.

Fordham was led by Ivan Raut and Prokop Slanina, who went a combined 10-for-13 from three-point range, scoring 40 of their team's 81 points.

The Rams were on fire early in the game, shooting 80 percent (4-for-5) from long distance in the first ten minutes of the game to take an 11-point lead on LIU, 22-11. The home team would make it a 15-point gap at 8:25 on a jumper from Tre Evans, but the Blackbirds would start to make a comeback then, despite early foul trouble.

Fifth year Jamall Robinson hit a three pointer at 8:17 that sparked a 7-0 run by LIU, and the gap was cut to eight point, 26-18 with 7:33 to play. LIU would cut it down to just a six point different in the tail end of the half, when a layup from Clark and free throws from Hernandez and fifth year Zach Coleman made it 33-27 with 3:21 to go. But Fordham would end the half on a 7-2 run, taking a 42-31 lead into the break.

In the second half, a three pointer by sophomore Ashtyn Bradley would help keep LIU in striking distance, but a 7-0 run by the Rams widened the lead to 18 points, their biggest lead of the day, 54-36 at 15:30.

Over the final eight minutes of the half, LIU would put together a 16-6 run. A struggling Rams offense went 2-for-11 from the field in a six-minute span, while LIU went 7-for-10 from the free throw line. Two made shots from the charity stripe from Clark would bring LIU the closest it would be since the first half, 72-65 with 1:37 to play.

On the next trip down the court, Joseph Chartouny was fouled. The junior guard made the first free throw, but got his own rebound when he missed the second shot, and got it back in to give his team a 10-point lead once more. His efforts sparked a seven point run by the Rams, putting the game out of reach for LIU, and Fordham took the non-conference win, 81-68.

With the loss, the Blackbirds move to 0-2 on the young season. Up next, LIU hosts its home opener, welcoming the College of New Rochelle to the Steinberg Wellness Center, Wednesday, November 15 at 7 p.m.

NOTES FROM THE NEST

• Clark, who was named NEC Player of the Week earlier in the day, was 7-for-11 from the field, and had five rebounds and two assists.
• Coleman led LIU on the boards with nine rebounds and a block to complement his eight points. Hernandez had 12 points, six rebounds and three assists, while Agosto had 11 points, five rebounds and four assists.
• Robinson had six points and four rebounds for LIU, while Julius van Sauers had four rebounds.
• LIU out-rebounded Fordham 41-35, and outscored the Rams in the paint, 32-28.