SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Year one of the Rod Strickland era began on Monday night in the Jon M. Huntsman Center.
 
LIU fell to Utah, 89-48, in its season opener.
 
Overall, the Sharks shot 32% from the field and 23% from three-point range.
 
Marko Maletic hit a deep, right wing three to give LIU its first basket of the season three and a half minutes into the game.
 
Behind 27-13 at the 7:10 mark, LIU battled back and engineered an 11-0 run that spanned almost four minutes.
 
The Sharks trailed 42-28 at halftime. The bench added 18, led by Cheikh Ndiaye's eight.  
 
The two true freshmen, C.J. Delancy and R.J. Greene, made their collegiate debuts. Delancy scored two points and grabbed a rebound in his first collegiate action.
 
Greene served as the backup point guard and played 19 minutes, including nine in the first half because of two early fouls picked up by Tre' Wood.
 
Wood finished with 11 points to lead the team and Ndiaye added 10 off the bench in his first game with LIU.

Jake Cook and Jacob Johnson each played 36 minutes, tied for the most among all players. Cook finished with seven points and three rebounds off the bench while Johnson started at the small forward spot and chipped in six points and five rebounds.
 
LIU is back in action for its home opener on Nov. 14 against Mount Saint Vincent.