BROOKLYN, N.Y. - The LIU men's basketball team won its fifth-straight game at home Thursday, beating Merrimack 85-74 in the Steinberg Wellness Center. The Sharks (14-13 overall, 11-6 NEC) were led by 20+ point performances from the big three: seniors Eral Penn (24 points, 11 rebounds), Ty Flowers (24 points) and Isaac Kante (20 points, 10 rebounds).

SHARK BITES

• LIU led wire-to-wire in the contest, going up on the Warriors early, 5-0. The Sharks would lead by as many as 22 points in the win.
• The home team shot a scorching 52.8 percent from the field for the night, including 44.4 percent from three-point range, and 84 percent (21-for-25) from the free throw line.
• LIU also had 22 assists as a team, and out-rebounded Merrimack, 41-27. The Warriors would force 13 LIU turnovers, and scored 16 points off of those turnovers.
• Eral Penn finished the game with 24 points, 11 rebounds and four assists. The senior shot 10-for-13 from the free throw line.
• Ty Flowers also had 24 points, going 4-for-5 from three-point range. He finished with seven rebounds and five assists.
• Graduate student Isaac Kante was near-perfect from the field, en route to scoring 20 points. He was 8-for-9 in field goal attempts, and 4-for-4 from the free throw line. He also had 10 rebounds for the double double in 27 minutes of action.
• Alex Rivera had 12 points for LIU, draining three three-pointers. Tre Wood had five rebounds and four assists, while Kyndall Davis had a team-high six assists and two blocks.
• Up next, the Sharks host Fairleigh Dickinson for Senior Day, Saturday, February 26 at 2 p.m.