BROOKLYN, N.Y. — The LIU men's basketball team welcomed FDU to the Steinberg Wellness Center on Thursday night in the teams' second matchup of the season. 

The game was an absolute slobber knocker, with 25 lead changes and neither team wanting to give in. LIU took a one-point lead into half and continued to trade blows with FDU in the second. 

In the second half, neither team could gain a lead larger than five as the Sharks and Knights continued to trade leads. Tana Kopa tied the game at 79 with 33 seconds left and a defensive stand by LIU sent to game the overtime.

Overtime was more of the same and turned into a bit of a free throw shooting contest. FDU led by two with less than three seconds to play as Kopa took the ball to half court and missed the game-winning shot by inches as it clanged off the rim. The Sharks fell 84-82.

Kopa and R.J. Greene led the Sharks in scoring with 18 a piece. Kopa grabbed seven boards while Greene shot 80% from the field.

Nikola Djapa led the team in rebounds with 10 and recorded his third double-double of the season, scoring 16.

Terell Strickland and Eric Acker shared the team lead in assists with eight. Strickland led the team in steals with three.

Jason Steele, who earned his first collegiate start, had his best game of the season scoring a career-high 12 points and grabbing eight rebounds.

The Sharks return to the court on Saturday when they travel to Merrimack for a 3 p.m. matinee.