Postgame Press Conference Transcript
Postgame Press Conference Video
BROOKLYN, N.Y. – The #4 seeded LIU men's basketball team is going to the Northeast Conference semifinals, and it all came down to the final 3.6 seconds of play, in one of the most dramatic games of the season for the Sharks.
LIU led by as many as 19 points in the second half, but the game was determined in the final seconds, as #5 seed Fairleigh Dickinson took the lead with 22 seconds left. The Sharks had the last word, when senior
Julian Batts made the game-winning layup with 0.8 seconds on the clock. FDU's late shot fell short, and LIU took the first win of the NEC tournament, 73-72.
With the win, LIU (15-17) advances to the semifinals; they will travel to Pittsburgh to take on top-seeded Robert Morris, Saturday, March 7 at 2 p.m.
GAME BREAKDOWN
The game was close early on, with FDU jumping out to a 13-9 lead, but the Sharks immediately coming back to tie it up, 16-16. In the final five minutes of the half, however, LIU got hot. Senior
Raiquan Clark sparked the run with a three pointer, and over the next three minutes, the Sharks outscored FDU 16-2. LIU didn't miss a basket, going 6-for-6 from the field, and taking a 44-29 lead into the halftime break.
In the second half, the Sharks would use a 7-0 run, including a three from
Jermaine Jackson Jr. and baskets from Clark and
Ty Flowers to take their widest lead of the game, 55-36 with 13:26 to play.
But the Knights would fight back, using a 9-0 run to close the lead to 10 points, but LIU held on to a comfortable 69-55 lead with five minutes to go. But then FDU turned up the heat and got hot all at the same time. The Knights would score seven unanswered points to bring it to 69-62 with 3:19 to play, and then in the final two minutes, FDU would score ten straight points to take the lead, 72-71 with 22 seconds left to play.
But in the final 3.6 seconds, both teams would call a timeout. LIU inbounded the ball, and senior
Julian Batts drove to the basket, making the layup that would put the Sharks on top, 73-72, with 0.8 seconds on the clock. The Knights would attempt a final Hail Mary, but it didn't fall, and LIU advanced to the semifinals with the win.
SHARK BITES
- LIU had four players score in double digits, led by Ty Flowers' 21 points. The junior also had nine rebounds and two blocks to lead the Sharks.
- Senior Raiquan Clark had 19 points and five rebounds for LIU, along with six rebounds.
- Senior Julian Batts finished with 13 points, while sophomore Jermaine Jackson Jr. had 10 points and a team-high six assists.
- Elyjah Williams led FDU with 21 points, as one of four Knights to score in double digits.
- LIU won despite shooting 29.2 percent from three and just 46.2 percent from the free throw line.
- Robert Morris advanced by beating #8 seed St. Francis Brooklyn, 59-58 Thursday. The two teams will face off at 2 p.m. Saturday, with #2 seed Saint Francis and #3 seed Sacred Heart playing at 12 p.m.
