BROOKLYN, N.Y. — The Long Island University men's basketball team (9-7, 3-0 NEC) overcame a second-half surge by the visiting Mercyhurst University Lakers (6-10, 1-2 NEC) to beat the Lakers 60-58 in Brooklyn on Thursday night. 

The Sharks led 39-26 through the first 20 minutes of play on Thursday, but the Lakers scored the first 15 points of the second half to take a 41-39 lead nearly five minutes into the second half. A layup by graduate student Jamal Fuller ended the scoring run, as the two teams continued to trade punches throughout the second half. 

Thursday's second half saw four lead changes, the last of which put the Sharks up for good; tied at 58 with 11 seconds remaining, redshirt senior Malachi Davis connected on a jump shot to put the Sharks up by two. After LIU held up on the defensive end with a rebound by senior Greg Gordon on a missed Mercyhurst layup, the Sharks left the floor with a hard-earned 60-58 win over the Lakers.  

Davis paced LIU with 18 points, while junior Jomo Goings (15), Gordon (13), and Fuller (11) all finished in double-figures. Fuller collected eight rebounds in the win, while Davis finished with a team-high six assists.  

LIU returns to the court on Saturday, January 10, at home against Saint Francis University at 4 p.m. in Brooklyn.