LIU/Brooklyn Blackbirds: Long Road Home Ends With Victory Over Hartford

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

Steinberg Wellness Center

LIU/Brooklyn Blackbirds: Home Seemingly Is Where The Wins Are ...

After stumbling out of the gate with consecutive road losses against Tulane and Fordham, the Blackbirds defeated New Rochelle rather handily during their Nov. 14 home opener at the Steinberg Wellness Center.

From there is was off to the Caribbean, where they split a pair of games in the Jamaican Classic at Montego Bay.

LIU then ventured back north into New England, where they dropped games against the University of Massachusetts/Lowell, and Brown University.  After which, a third straight road game ended similarly as the Blackbirds dropped their sixth game of the season this time to NJIT at Newark, New Jersey.

The Blackbirds finally returned home where they defeated the University of Hartford for a second time this season on Thursday.  LIU previously escaped with an 86-84 win at Montego Bay, then once again edged out the Hawks by an even closer one point margin of victory.

Joel Hernandez' short range jumper put the Blackbirds up by six with 01:30 left in the game.  But a Hartford layup and a pair of free throws pulled the Hawks within two points by the 00:27 second mark. 

After Jashaun Agosto's free throw put the Blackbirds up three again, Hartford's Travi Weatherington's three-pointer tied the game with just five seconds left in the game.  But with just one second left, Joel Hernandez connected on one two free throws, sealing LIU's 79-78 victory over Hartford.

Joel Hernandez posted a double-double, leading the floor with a game high 27 points, to go along with ten rebounds.


Next up: The Blackbirds host the Stony Brook Seawolves on Monday at the Steinberg Wellness Center.  LIU will then shift base camp over Barclays Center for a Dec. 10 game against Fair field, and a Dec. 17 game against Saint Peter's.

They'll travel to play Binghamton, then return back to the Steinberg Wellness Center where they'll kick off their NEC schedule with games against Fairleigh Dickinson, and Mount St, Mary's.