SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Long Island University men's basketball team is heading north this weekend to take on Bryant. The Sharks (8-9, 3-1 NEC) will take on the Bulldogs (9-8, 1-3) in a doubleheader Saturday afternoon at the Chace Athletic Center. The women's game will tip-off at 1 p.m., with the men's game following at 4 p.m.
SHARK BITES
- LIU won its third-straight Northeast Conference game Wednesday night, as the Sharks beat St. Francis Brooklyn, 69-66.
- LIU rallied from a ten-point deficit at halftime in the Pope Physical Education Center, thanks to four different players scoring in double digits, and a 51.7 percent effort from the field in the second stanza.
- Senior Raiquan Clark led LIU with 17 points. Senior Julian Batts had 15 points, all in the second half, including going 3-for-5 from three-point range.
- Junior Ty Flowers had his seventh double double of the season, with 10 points and 11 rebounds. He also had three steals, two blocks and two assists.
- Sophomore Virshon Cotton added 10 points, going 4-for-9 from the field in the win. And senior Jashaun Agosto had a career-high eight rebounds, a team-high five assists and six points.
- Bryant comes into the matchup looking to snap a skid. After beating SFU in their NEC opener, 67-63, the Bulldogs have lost three very close games straight, to FDU (77-73), Mount St. Mary's (67-65) and Merrimack (71-67).Bryant will be looking to replicate its success at the start of the season, when the Bulldogs went 8-5 in non-conference action, including two four-game win streaks.
- Saturday's game at Bryant marks the 21st time that the two programs have faced off. LIU holds the all-time advantage, 14-6, including having won the last six straight.
- An influx of new blood has made the difference for the Bulldogs this year, as three freshmen rank in the top five in scoring for Bryant. Senior Adam Grant is the team's top scorer, as he averages 18.6 points per game, but freshmen Benson Lin (9.9 ppg), Charles Pride (9.0 ppg) and Michael Green III (7.9) have been key contributors. And junior forward Ikenna Ndugba adds 9.3 ppg and 5.3 rebounds per game.
UP NEXT
The Sharks will continue the road swing, but keep it local, traveling to Staten Island, N.Y. to take on Wagner in a double header Monday afternoon.
