BROOKLYN, N.Y. – It's the start of the Northeast Conference New Year, and the stage doesn't get any bigger for the Long Island University men's basketball team. The Sharks will open the 2020 NEC schedule on national TV, traveling to take on Mount St. Mary's in a game that will air on CBS Sports Network, Saturday, January 4 at 2 p.m. Dave Popkin and Joe DeSantis will have the call for CBS.
SHARK BITES
- LIU capped the 2019 calendar year with an emphatic win in the Steinberg Wellness Center Saturday, December 28, as the Sharks (5-8) beat Division III Centenary, 125-84. LIU had six players score in double digits, and set a new program record for assists in a game.
- The 125 points was the most for an LIU team since 2003. The Sharks also made 20 threes, the most for the team in a game since February of 1997.
- LIU also broke their record for three pointers attempted in a game, with 53. It's the third time this season the Sharks have chucked up 40+ three pointer attempts.
- The team had 39 assists, the most ever for an LIU squad. The team broke the previous record of 37, which was set against Medgar Evars in November of 1997.
- The team saw every single player that went in the game score, six season highs set, and six new career highs set. The team shot 54.7 percent from the field, their highest shooting percentage of the season. LIU also grabbed a season-high 49 rebounds and tied their season high with 12 steals.
- Mount St. Mary's (4-10) comes into Saturday's game having opened up their NEC season Thursday by hosting Wagner. The Mountaineers lost, 66-47, and will be looking to bounce back against the Sharks.
- The Mount is led by a trio of young guards. Junior Jalen Gibbs leads the team with 11.9 points per game, while sophomore guards Damian Chong Qui (10.9 ppg) and Vado Morse (10.4) round out the double digit scoring.
- LIU and Mount have a near 50-50 split all time, as LIU leads the series, 31-30. Last year, each team won on their home court to maintain the even split attitude.
- Up next, LIU will host CCSU and FDU for the first NEC home weekend, Thursday, January 9 and Saturday, January 11.
