BROOKLYN, N.Y. – The LIU Brooklyn men's basketball team trailed by as many as 10 points Saturday afternoon in the Steinberg Wellness Center, but the Blackbirds put together a total team effort to come from behind and beat Fairleigh Dickinson, 79-77. LIU had four players score in double digits in their second-straight home win, including senior Raiquan Clark (20 points, 10 rebounds), sophomore Ty Flowers (18 points), senior Raul Frias (13 points) and sophomore Eral Penn (12 points, nine rebounds). With the win, the Blackbirds move to 9-8 on the season, and 3-2 in the Northeast Conference.
 
Early in the contest, the two teams were close: the score would tie twice before the 13-minute mark, and neither team led by more than four points. Twice in the first half, FDU would build the lead to four points, first on a three pointer from Darnell Edge at 9:11, and then on a dunk from Kaleb Bishop, but each time, the Blackbirds would answer. The second time, Frias would hit a three pointer at 7:24 to cut the lead back down to one point, 24-23.
 
From there, however, the Knights put together a 9-0 run that would span two minutes, and give the visiting team its widest lead of the day, 33-23 with 4:30 left in the first half. The Blackbirds would mount a small comeback as the clock ran down, but Fairleigh Dickinson had an advantage at the halftime break, 37-31.
 
Clark, who had only eight points in the first half, went to work coming out of the halftime break. The senior, who made only two field goals in the first half, would put together a 7-3 run all on his own, that helped the Blackbirds back within two, 40-38 at 17:51. Over the rest of the half, different Blackbirds would step up when LIU needed a push. Sophomore Ty Flowers hit a big three, and then Frias hit another one at the 10-minute mark that kept the Blackbirds within four points. Penn would make a layup at 8:21 that closed the gap to three points, and just 20 seconds later, Frias would hit a long jumper that made it 63-62 for the Knights.
 
45 seconds later, junior Jashaun Agosto hit a three pointer that would tie the game up for the first time in the second half, 65-65, with just over seven minutes left to play. And then, a mere 30 seconds later, sophomore Ty Flowers would string together what would end up being the dagger for the Knights. Flowers made back-to-back three pointers in less than 30 seconds, giving the Blackbirds a 71-67 lead with six minutes left on the clock.
 
FDU would rally to tie the game back up, but then it was Penn who came to the plate, slamming home back to back dunks that gave LIU a 75-71 lead with 2:27 to play. Though FDU would make a comeback attempt of their own, the Blackbirds would not trail again. A three by Frias at 2:01 would push the lead back to 78-74, and though the Knights would get a three to answer, the Blackbirds held on, forced a late turnover on the visitors, and sealed the win with a made free throw from Flowers, 79-77.
 
NOTES FROM THE NEST

• The Blackbirds won with the help of 18 second chance points, as LIU out-rebounded FDU by a margin of 40 to 25. The Blackbirds had 17 offensive rebounds, one of their highest team totals this season.
• Senior Raiquan Clark notched his third double double of the season, with 20 points and 10 rebounds. He also had five assists and a block.
• Sophomore Eral Penn had a career-high 12 points in the win, shooting 6-for-6 from the field. He also had nine rebounds and two blocks.
• Sophomore Ty Flowers had 18 points, including four threes, along with three rebounds and two steals.
• Senior Raul Frias had 13 points for the Blackbirds, while junior Julius van Sauers had nine points, three rebounds, two steals and a block.
• Junior Jashaun Agosto had a game-high eight assists for LIU, along with six rebounds, five points and two steals, playing all 40 minutes.
• FDU was led by 20 points from Darnell Edge, along with 18 points from Elyjah Williams and 16 points from Kaleb Bishop. The Knights move to 6-11 overall and 1-4 in the NEC with the loss.
• Up next, the Blackbirds will take on local rival St. Francis Brooklyn in a home game that will air on ESPN3, Monday, January 21 at 3 p.m.