BROOKLYN, N.Y. – The LIU Brooklyn men's basketball team closed out the 2017-18 regular season in style Saturday afternoon in the Steinberg Wellness Center. After honoring seniors Zach Coleman, Joel Hernandez and Jamall Robinson before the game, the Blackbirds beat Sacred Heart, 88-77, to finish the season 15-16 overall, and 10-8 in the Northeast Conference. LIU led for a majority of the contest, led by strong performances from Hernandez and Coleman, in their final regular season game at the WRAC.  
 
Pregame celebrations did nothing to hold back LIU in the midday matinee, as the Blackbirds opened the game on a 16-5 run, forcing SHU to call a timeout. Despite the break, LIU continued to push the pace, and eventually went up 25-9 on the Pioneers. A three pointer from junior Raul Frias made it 38-21 with just over four minutes left in the half, in what would be LIU's widest lead of the day. But Sacred Heart continued to battle back, and two made free throws in the final four second of the first half would cut the lead down to single digits, as LIU led at the half, 42-33.
 
Sacred Heart needed to win to make the playoffs, and the Pioneers came out into the second half playing that way. The visitors opened the stanza on a 6-2 run that would cut the lead to five points, 44-39. Though Hernandez hit a three to give LIU some distance, the Pioneers continued to chip away at the lead, and eventually a shot by SHU senior Joseph Lopez closed the gap to just one point, 54-53 with 11:34 to play.
 
LIU never gave up the lead, however, and just a couple of minutes later, were able to retake control of the pace of the game. Junior Raiquan Clark had a layup at 8:02 that would spark an 11-2 run for the Blackbirds, including another three from Hernandez and four made free throws from Coleman and Clark that made it 74-64. A few minutes later, Agosto would hit a three pointer that helped seal the win, putting LIU up, 87-71. Strong free throw shooting continued to be clutch for the Blackbirds, as they went 11-for-13 from the free throw line in the final six minutes and a half minutes of the game, taking the win, 88-77.
 
NOTES FROM THE NEST

• Senior Joel Hernandez led all scorers with 26 points, on 10-of-20 shooting. With those points, he moved into 18^th on LIU's all-time scoring list with 1,338 points, just ahead of Hall of Famer Riley Clarida, and behind Blackbird legend Albie Grant.
• Junior Raiquan Clark finished with 20 points and seven rebounds, shooting 7-for-12 from the field.
• As a team, LIU shot 50.8 percent from the field, and 81.8 percent from the free throw line.
• Sophomore Jashaun Agosto had 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting, along with four rebounds and four assists.
• Senior Zach Coleman had 10 rebounds and eight points. Raul Frias added eight points, while senior Jamall Robinson scored seven.
• Sacred Heart out rebounded LIU, 45-36, including 17 offensive rebounds, scoring 19 second chance points. Lopez led the Pioneers with 17 points and 11 rebounds, as one of four players in double digits.
• Up next, the Blackbirds take part in the first round of the Northeast Conference men's basketball championship tournament. The quarterfinals take place Wednesday, February 28.