MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – The Long Island University men's basketball team saw their 2019-20 season come to a close Saturday afternoon in the Northeast Conference tournament semifinals, as the #4 seeded Sharks fell to #1 seed Robert Morris, 86-66. Senior
Julian Batts led LIU with 23 points in the loss. With the defeat, LIU finishes the 2019-20 season with a 15-18 overall record, 9-9 in the NEC.
GAME BREAKDOWN
Robert Morris led wire-to-wire in Saturday's matchup. The Colonials went 7-for-8 from the field in the first four minutes of play, while LIU made just one shot in that time, going 1-for-6, as the home team jumped out to a 16-2 lead.
Sophomore
Jermaine Jackson Jr. hit a three and then made a traditional three-point play to help LIU start to close the lead, 19-10 with 12:59 to play. Four minutes later, a three from junior
Ty Flowers cut the gap to just eight points, 24-16 with 9:08 to go. But the home team would hold on to the advantage until the end of the period, taking a 43-28 lead into the break.
The second half got off to a hot start for LIU. The Sharks opened the period on a 7-0 run, including a three from Batts, that cut the lead down to single digits once more, 43-35. But the Sharks couldn't stop RMU's hot shooting, as a 7-0 run by the home team widened the lead back up, 53-37 with 14:02 to play. LIU would struggle to shoot throughout the contest, hitting just 35.8 percent from the field, and 30.8 percent from three-point range. In the end, Robert Morris held out, taking the win over LIU, 86-66.
SHARK BITES
- Julian Batts had an outstanding performance in his hometown to lead LIU. The senior scored a game-high 23 points, on 7-of-16 shooting from the field, including five three pointers. He also had five rebounds, four steals and two assists.
- Sophomore Jermaine Jackson Jr. had 19 points and two assists, while junior Ty Flowers had 11 points, three rebounds and a block.
- Robert Morris had five players score in double digits in the win, as they advance to the NEC Championship game. They will host #2 seed Saint Francis U., Tuesday, March 10.
