BROOKLYN, N.Y. — The Long Island University men's basketball team (5-4, 0-0 NEC) returns to its home floor on Saturday evening, hosting the La Salle University Explorers (4-6, 0-0 Atlantic 10) at 4 p.m. in the Steinberg Wellness Center.
LIU enters Saturday's game after defeating Lehigh University 87-82 on the road last weekend, led by a season-high 30 points from redshirt senior Malachi Davis. Graduate student Jamal Fuller (20 points), senior Greg Gordon (14) and redshirt sophomore Tre'shawn Sheppard (11) also finished in double figures.
The game will be televised digitally on NEC Front Row, with "The Voice of the Sharks" Phil Constantino (play-by-play) and Mike Murabito (analyst) on the call.
Quick Facts
-LA SALLE HISTORY: Saturday's meeting between LIU and La Salle will be the first of the Sharks era of the program, however the two teams met on the floor more than 50 years ago; a 68-53 Explorer win in the 1970-71 season, played at Madison Square Garden. This is LIU's second matchup against an A-10 team this season, previously taking on Fordham on the road in a 69-53 loss.
-LAST TIME OUT: Led by a season-high 30 points by R-Sr. Malachi Davis, the Sharks defeated Lehigh 87-82 on the road on Dec. 6. Grad. Jamal Fuller scored 20 points in the win, while senior Greg Gordon (14) and R-So. Tre'shawn Sheppard (11) also finished in double figures. Davis led the Sharks in rebounds (10), assists (7), and steals (5) against the Mountain Hawks, while sophomore Shadrak Lasu had two blocked shots.
-NEC HONORS: Malachi Davis was named the NEC Player of the Week on Monday after his 30-point night at Lehigh on Saturday, earning his second Player of the Week honor this winter. Jamal Fuller and Greg Gordon were both Prime Performers.
-HIGH-SCORING OFFENSE: Through LIU's first nine games, the Sharks rank third in the NEC with 76.7 points game and second in the conference in field goal percentage (48.7%). Both Jamal Fuller (15.6 ppg, 5th) and Malachi Davis (15.4 ppg, 7th) rank in the top 10 in points per game in the NEC this winter. Greg Gordon sits just outside the top 10, ranking 11th with 14.4 points per game this winter.
-NEC PRESEASON POLL: LIU was unanimously picked to finish first out of nine teams by the conference's head coaches
-2024 IN REVIEW: LIU finished second in the NEC standings last winter, posting a 17-15 overall record and a 12-4 mark in conference games. The Sharks reached the semifinals of the NEC tournament.
-2 SHARKS RECEIVE PRESEASON ALL-NEC HONORS: Redshirt senior guard Malachi Davis and graduate student guard/forward Jamal Fuller were named NEC Preseason All-Conference selections. Both received All-NEC honors last winter. Both were All-NEC selections last season (Davis, 1st Team; Fuller, 2nd Team).
-RETURNING TO THE FLOOR: LIU returns 59.2% of its scoring from the 2024-25 season, headlined by returning their top two leading scorers from a season ago in Malachi Davis (565 points) and Jamal Fuller (413 points). The Sharks also returning their top two rebounders (Shadrak Lasu, 226 rebounds; Jamal Fuller, 199 rebounds) and blocks (Lasu, 42 blocks; Fuller, 25 blocks).
