STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – The LIU men's basketball team improved to 4-1 in the Northeast Conference Thursday night, beating Wagner on the road in the Spiro Sports Center, 77-66. The Sharks had seven of their eight players score in the total team win, led by senior Ty Flowers's 27 points.

SHARK BITES

• The first half of the game was close in the early going, but Wagner would use a small 5-0 run to go up, 24-17. Points from junior Eral Penn and freshman Kyndall Davis would help the Sharks come back and tie it up, 28-28, and just a few minutes later, the two teams went into the locker rooms tied 31-31.
• Five minutes into the second half is when LIU began to pull away. A three from Flowers put the Sharks up, 42-40, and another three by Flowers five minutes later capped a 10-3 run. With the scoring spree, LIU took a 49-43 lead with 10 minutes to play.
• Wagner would close the game back up, tying it up at 54-54 with 6:49 to play, but LIU answered with a 11-3 run over the next two and a half minutes. A resounding dunk from Flowers at the four-minute mark made it 65-57 in favor of the Sharks, and LIU controlled the momentum from there.
• In the last two minutes of play, LIU would outscore Wagner, 12-2, taking the win by an eventual score of 77-66.
• LIU was led by Flowers, who had 27 points (10-for-17 shooting), along with eight rebounds, five steals, a block and an assist.
• Junior Eral Penn chipped in 19 points and 10 rebounds, including going 9-for-12 from the free throw line. He also had three blocks, two steals and an assist.
• Junior Virshon Cotton added nine points and a team-high six assists, while sophomore Alex Rivera had nine points and five rebounds. Freshman Kyndall Davis added seven points and give rebounds for the Sharks.
• Up next, LIU takes on Wagner in a rematch, Friday, January 15 at 7 p.m.