BROOKLYN, N.Y. – The Long Island University men's basketball team came home for the first time in 41 days Friday night, and it was a homecoming to remember, as the Sharks beat Delaware in overtime, 82-75. LIU (4-7) handed the Blue Hens just their third loss of the season (10-3), behind a 24-point effort from senior Raiquan Clark.
 
GAME BREAKDOWN
The favorite Blue Hens jumped out to an early lead in the contest, taking a 7-4 on the home team. Delaware would lead until 14:30, when sophomore Virshon Cotton hit a three that put LIU up, 12-10. Just over a minute later, he hit another one, widening LIU's lead to 15-10, and setting a tone for the pace of the game.
 
Two minutes later, LIU put together a 10-2 scoring spree that spanned three minutes, sparked by a fade away jumper from Clark and a three pointer from senior Julian Batts. The run gave LIU a 23-14 lead with just over eight minutes to play in the first half. But Delaware would close the half with help from a 12-4 run, and the Sharks led by just six at the break, 37-31.
 
The second half was one of runs. LIU would open up with a three pointer from junior Ty Flowers, and then two minutes later, started to push the distance between the two teams. A 12-4 run that spanned nearly five minutes put the Sharks up, 51-37. Two minutes later, another 8-0 spree by the home team gave them their widest lead of the day, 59-44.
 
But it was Delaware that would put together the largest run of the day. In the final seven and a half minutes of regulation, the Blue Hens outscored LIU 20-5, erasing their 15-point lead. Delaware's Nate Darling would make a layup with 46 seconds left that tied the game up, 64-64. The Sharks managed to get a final possession as the clock ran down, but the buzzer-beater didn't land, and LIU and Delaware both went to their first overtime game of the season.
 
In the bonus period, Delaware hit an early jumper that gave them their first lead in almost 30 minutes of play, 68-66. But then LIU sophomore Jermaine Jackson Jr. hit a momentum-killing step-back three. Tied up at 75-75 with 59 seconds remaining, Ty Flowers turned on the gas. The junior made a crucial layup off a perfect pass from senior Julian Batts, and drew the foul, converting the three-point play to put LIU on top, 78-75. He and Batts would then go a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line in the final 27 seconds of play, clinching the 82-75 win for the home team.
 
SHARK BITES

• Four Sharks finished in double digits, led by senior Raiquan Clark, who had 24 points (shooting 11-18 from the field), nine rebounds and four steals.
• Senior Julian Batts had a season-high 19 points, along with a team-high seven assists and six rebounds.
• Junior Ty Flowers had 15 points, five of which came in overtime as the deciding points in favor of the Sharks. He also had eight rebounds and three steals.
• Sophomore Virshon Cotton chipped in 10 points, as well as four assists, three rebounds and three steals.
• LIU out-rebounded Delaware, 37-35. It was just the second time this season that the Sharks outrebounded an opponent.
• The Sharks forced the Blue Hens into 20 turnovers, including 12 steals as a team. LIU scored 19 points from those turnovers, including 14 fast break points.
• Delaware was led by 20 points from Nate Darling. Three other Blue Hens scored in double digits in the overtime loss.
• Up next, LIU hosts local rival Saint Peter's in the Barclays Center, Sunday, December 22 at 12 p.m.