BROOKLYN, N.Y. – It's the last week of the regular season, and the LIU men's basketball team is in charge of their own postseason destiny. The Sharks (8-8 Northeast Conference) currently sit in fourth place in the standings, but could move as high as third, or fall out of hosting contention, based on the final two games of the year. Up first, LIU hosts Wagner, Thursday, February 27 at 7 p.m. 
 

SENIOR NIGHT
Thursday marks the last home game of the regular season. Prior to tip off, LIU will honor five members of the graduating class: Jashaun Agosto, Julian Batts, Ashtyn Bradley, Ganlandou Cisse and manager Maxim Tondre.

SHARK BITES

·       LIU sits two games behind Sacred Heart (10-6) in the standings. The Pioneers clinch the No. 3 seed with a win or an LIU loss. Should SHU lose Thursday and LIU win, the 3 and 4 seed will come down to Saturday's face off in Fairfield. If the Sharks lose Thursday, things get trickier, as both Mount St. Mary's and FDU are 7-9, and breathing down LIU's neck for that fourth hosting spot. LIU holds the tiebreaker over FDU, but Mount has the advantage on the Sharks; the chips could fall any number of ways, depending on results around the league. One thing is certain: the road to the championship runs through Western Pa., as SFU and RMU are the top two seeds.

·       The Sharks will be looking to snap a bit of a slump, as they've lost two of their last three. And one of the hottest teams in the league comes to the Steinberg Center Thursday night.

·       Wagner (5-11 NEC) is still fighting for a playoff spot. The surging Seahawks, who beat LIU earlier this season, have won their last three games. They currently sit one game behind Bryant and SFBK (6-10), as the last out of the playoffs. Head coach Bashir Mason led his team to a 72-64 win over LIU on Staten Island earlier this season, and will be looking to do the same in Brooklyn Thursday.

·       Up next, LIU will head north to take on Sacred Heart in the regular season finale, Saturday, February 29 at 3:30 p.m.