LIU Brooklyn at Saint Francis U.
Game Details	Thursday, January 4, 2018 | 7 p.m. | Loretto, Pa. | DeGol Arena
Game Coverage	TV/Video: NEC Front Row | Live Stats: SFUAthletics.com
LIU Links	Notes | News | Roster | Schedule | Statistics
SFU Links	Notes | News | Roster | Schedule | Statistics

LORETTO, Pa. – The LIU Brooklyn men's basketball team starts a swing through Pennsylvania this week, taking on Saint Francis University at DeGol Arena, Thursday, January 4. Tip off is slated for 7 p.m. The contest will pit two of the top offenses in the Northeast Conference against each other in a contest that will air on NEC Front Row.
 
QUICK HITS

• The Blackbirds (6-9, 1-1 NEC) closed out the 2017 calendar year on a high note Sunday afternoon in the Steinberg Wellness Center, beating defending Northeast Conference champions Mount St. Mary's, 71-57.
• Senior Joel Hernandez led all players with 21 points, while junior Raiquan Clark was a perfect 7-for-7 from the field, with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore Julian Batts was also on fire, scoring 13 points, shooting 4-for-5 from three-point range.
• The Blackbirds shot 55.6 percent from the field in the win to Mount St. Mary's 38.8 percent. LIU also shot 52.4 percent from three-point range.
• The Blackbirds' defense held the NEC's leading scorer, Junior Robinson, who averages 22 points per game, to just 12 points, on 5-for-15 shooting. LIU also outrebounded the Mount, 34-24.
• Hernandez scored 20+ points for the seventh-straight game, leading LIU with 21 points. He also had a team-high five assists and five rebounds.
• Clark had his second double-double of the season, with 15 points and 10 rebounds. He was perfect from the field, shooting 7-for-7.
• Saint Francis comes into the matchup 7-6 overall, and 1-1 in the NEC. The Red Flash lost their NEC opener at Central Connecticut stat, 72-68, before bouncing back to beat Bryant in overtime, 86-82.
• The Red Flash is the top scoring offense in the NEC, putting up an average of 82.8 points per game, and are 4-0 at DeGol Arena this season.
• Sophomore Keith Braxton is the team's top scorer, and the reigning NEC player of the week. Overall, he's averaging 18.1 points per game, fifth behind both Hernandez (2^nd) and Clark (4^th). But last week in NEC play, the guard averaged 23.5 points per game, along with 10.0 rebounds per game, 6.0 assists per game and 4.0 steals per game.
• Last year, the two teams split the series, with both squads winning on the road. The Blackbirds beat SFU 80-73 in Loretto, before falling to the Flash, 80-78 at home in Brooklyn. All-time, the records are similar, as LIU leads the series, 37-36.
• Up next, the Blackbirds head to Pittsburgh to square off with the second half of the PA contingent, taking on Robert Morris, Saturday, January 6 at 4 p.m.