BROOKLYN, N.Y. – The Long Island University men's basketball team fell to St. Francis Brooklyn at home Tuesday night, in the 45^th annual Battle of Brooklyn, 87-77. The Sharks were led by a season-high 30 points from sophomore Jermaine Jackson Jr.
 
GAME BREAKDOWN
The Terriers got off to a hot start Tuesday, opening the game on a 9-0 run. After coach Derek Kellogg called a timeout, LIU would get the offense going, answering with a 10-2 run of their own that would cut the lead to 11-10. And just 30 seconds later, the Sharks would get their first lead of the game, when Jermaine Jackson Jr. converted a four-point play to put the home team on top, 14-13.
 
The two teams stayed close from there, until back-to-back basket from Ty Flowers and Raiquan Clark gave LIU a 29-23 lead with 7:13 to play. The two buckets were the start of an 11-4 run for the Sharks, which eventually gave them a 36-27 lead with 4:12 to play in the first half. But the Terriers wouldn't stay down for long. SFBK answered by scoring nine unanswered points, rallying back to tie it up at 36-36. LIU would take the lead into the halftime break, 41-38, but it was a tenuous hold.
 
Coming out of the break, the two teams stayed matched. Though SFBK would rally, sophomore Virshon Cotton hit a three to keep LIU on top. And five minutes later, Clark hit a layup and senior Julian Batts made two free throws that gave the Sharks a 54-48 advantage. The Terriers answered with a 14-2 rally that put them back in the driver's seat, but only briefly. Jackson hit three straight three pointers that would give LIU the lead once more, 65-62 with 9:56 to play.
 
While it seemed like Jackson's scoring spree had shifted the momentum of the game, the Sharks would struggle to make shots over the next five minutes. LIU went 0-7 from the field, while SFBK got hot, scoring 14 straight points, and taking a 76-65 lead with 4:28 to play.
 
Clark, Batts and Jackson all hit three pointers in the final minutes of play that gave the Sharks a shot at the win. Jackson made a layup and was fouled with 49 seconds left. Converting the three-point play cut the lead to 82-77, but the Terriers held off the Sharks, and going 5-for-6 from the free throw line in the final minute, to take the win, 87-77.
 
SHARK BITES

• Jermaine Jackson Jr. led LIU with 30 points, a new season high for the sophomore. He shot 10-for-19 from the field, including five three pointers. He also had four rebounds, three assists and two steals.
• Senior Raiquan Clark chipped in 17 points, eight rebounds and three steals.
• Sophomore Virshon Cotton, and seniors Jashaun Agosto and Julian Batts all had nine points for LIU.
• Up next, the Sharks hit the road, taking on Fairleigh Dickinson, Friday, February 21 at 8 p.m.