LIU Blackbirds Routed By Temple Owls At Barclays Center

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

 

Saturday Final:

Temple Owls     101

LIU Blackbirds  65

LIU/BROOKLYN BLACKBIRDS: The Numbers Are Sickly.

Saturday, Barclays Center hosted a battle of the birds.  The LIU Blackbirds made the short trek south along Flatbush Avenue to host the Temple Owls.

Apparently, old habits are hard to break.  Despite last meeting over 40 years ago, Temple nonetheless picked up where they left off, securing their fourth victory in four attempts over the Blackbirds.  Here for the Brooklyn Hoops Holiday Invitational, The Owls were not kind about it either.  Patrons of the Kings County arena were witness to a rout.  Temple dismantled host LIU/Brooklyn by a 101-65 margin.

Little went right for the Blackbirds.  In fact, the numbers are sickly.  LIU was outscored 38-22 in the first half, and 63-43 in the second half.  At one point, Temple led by as many as 45 points, and collectively outscored LIU 38-20 in the paint.

In the first half, LIU shot just 23.8%, and for the game, shot a miserable 28.8% from the floor on just 17/59 shooting.  Ditto from beyond the arch, managing just 5/26, for 19.2% shooting.

The Owls dissected LIU with 22 assists, versus just 9 for LIU.  Jason Brickman, who tied for game high, had 6 of them.  Gerrell Martin was the only other LIU starter to record an assist.  Off the bench, Glenn Feidanga and D.J. Griggs recorded one each.

Gerrell Martin and E.J. Reed both tied for the team lead with 13 points.  With ten points, Troy Joseph was the only other Blackbird to score in double-digits.  Jason Brickman finished with nine.  E.J. Reed also pulled down a game high 12 rebounds.

LIU played most of the second half without starter Landon Atterberry, who fouled out after totaling just 7 minutes of play, and Glenn Feidanga, who fouled out as well.

All five Temple starters scored in double digits, led by Dalton Pepper's game high 26 points, who shot 10/12 from the field, and 6/8 from beyond the three.  Pepper also pulled down 10 rebounds, all on the defensive glass.

The LIU Blackbirds record now stands at a 4-7, with two more out of conference games left to play in December, both in the Lone Star State, versus South Houston State, and Texas State.  While the situation is far from dire, there is hope for the Blackbirds season yet.  The team expects sixth year senior forward Julian Boyd to make his return from injury in January, hopefully in time to begin their conference schedule.



Mike.BTB

LIU Blackbirds: Gerrell Martin Nails Buzzer Beater, Gives Flatbush Victory

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

Brooklyn Buzzer Beater!

WEDNESDAY FINAL:

LAMAR      79

Blackbirds   82

LIU/BROOKLYN BLACKBIRDS: Gerrell Martin Buries Three-Pointer With 0:01, To Raise The Roof On The Ashland Place Gymnasium.

The Blackbirds trailed by eight points at the half versus the Cardinals of Lamar, but turned the tables with a 48-37 second half, to gain victory in their return to the Ashland Place Gym.

LIU led for the first ten minutes, until Lamar tied the game 14-14.  The Blackbirds were up again 25-23 with 6:30 to go, then Lamar buried a pair of three-pointers to pull ahead by a 29-25 score.  They outscored LIU 13-9 to close out the half, earning a 42-34 advantage.

The Blackbirds opened the second half on a 12-4 run, to tie the game at 46-46, with 16:02 to go.  When LIU fell behind again, Jason Brickman's free throws tied the game at 57-57, with 10:13 to play.  After a three-pointer at the other end, E.J. Reed buried a three of his own for LIU, knotting the score again at 60-60.  Things remained close down the stretch, but Brooklyn maintained a 22-19 lead over the final stretch of the game.

Four of five LIU starters scored in double-digits, led by E.J. Reed's 19 points.  Jason Brickman went double-double, with 12 assists, and 17 points.  Landon Atterberry matched Jason with 17 points, and tied with Troy Joseph with a team high 6 rebounds.  In the waning minutes, Gerrell Martin became the deciding factor.  He scored 12 points on the night, but 8 of those came in a flurry with under four minutes to go.

A brutal LIU turnover led to Lamar's Nimrod Hilliard's layup, which tied the game 79-79, with just 0:05 left on the clock.  Then with time expiring, Jason Brickman promptly fed Gerrell Martin at the other end, who nailed a jumper from beyond the arch, to give LIU a last second, 82-79 victory.

LIU improved to 4-6 on the season, while the Lamar Cardinals dropped to a 1-9 record.

LIU Blackbirds Hold On For 96-93 Victory Over NJIT

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

 

THURSDAY FINAL:

LIU Blackbirds      96

NJIT Highlanders  93

LIU/BROOKLYN BLACKBIRDS: Iverson Fleming Provides 22 Points Off The Bench, As Flatbush Hoops Gain Third Victory Of Season Over NJIT Highlanders.

The LIU Blackbirds have so far gotten off to a rough start to their 2013-14 regular season.  They began the month of December with a victory over Norfolk State, but then dropped two straight to Seton Hall and Lehigh.

Sporting an overall 2-6 record, the Blackbirds were back in Newark, New Jersey, this evening to take on the NJIT Highlanders.

At 18:02 of the opening half, NJIT owned a 4-1 lead.  LIU then went ahead 5-4 on a Gilbert Parga lay-up.  After the Highlanders Terrence Smith made it a 6-5 game, E.J. Reed converted at the other end with a layup at 15:22 to put Brooklyn ahead by a 7-6 score.  LIU would never trail again.

At 7:43, Iverson Fleming's layup gave LIU a 29-19 lead, and by 6:17, Jason Brickman's three pointer opened up a thirteen point lead, in a 35-22 game.  Glenn Feidanga's layup at 4:08 gave LIU their largest lead of the half - fourteen points.  Those also just happened to be Feidanga's only two points of the game.  The Blackbirds then closed out the half with a 10-point lead, outscoring NJIT by a 42-32 margin.

The second half was a much more tightly contested affair, and with 1:14 left, NJIT had surged to within 81-78, outscoring the Blackbirds 46-42 to that point in the half.

With just 0:05 left on the clock, NJIT's Terrence Smith's layup made it a 94-93 game in LIU's favor.  But at the other end, Iverson Fleming naturally was fouled, and converted on two clutch free throws to extend Brooklyn's lead by three, while leaving just 0:02 on the clock.  The game then went final with LIU winning 96-93 over the Highlanders.

NJIT outscored the Blackbirds 61-54 in the second half.  They were led by guard Winfield Willis, who led all scorers with 28 points off the bench.  Terrence Smith contributed 14 points in defeat, and Ky Howard was second on the team with 17 points.

Iverson Fleming led the Blackbirds with 22 points off the bench, on an excellent 8/11 shooting from the field, 2/4 from three point range, and 4/4 from the line.  Jason Brickman was next with 21 points, and led all players with 6 assists.

In all, the Blackbirds had six players score in double-digits.  Off the bench, Gilbert Parga contributed another 14 points.  Of the starters, E.J. Reed dropped 12 points, while Landon Atterberry and Gerrell Martin both added 10 points each.

NJIT had more assists than LIU, 17-14, and took more shots from the field.  LIU was 32/55, for a stellar 58.2% from the field.  NJIT was 34/65, for a 52.3% from the field.  Both teams inflicted equal damage from three-point land, but LIU won the battle of the boards, by a 36-24 margin.

Next up, the Blackbirds return to the Ashland Place Gym, where they will host the Lamar Cardinals next Wednesday.  LIU will then play two more games in December before kicking off their in-conference schedule versus St. Francis-Brooklyn in January.



Mike.BTB

LIU Blackbirds: Gerrell Martin Leads Flatbush Over NSU Spartans

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

LIU/BROOKLYN BLACKBIRDS: The Flatbush Hoops Prevail Over NSU Spartans In Home Court Opener.

After a superlative, albeit losing effort against the Indiana Hoosiers, the LIU Blackbirds were bullied over the final three games of the 2K Sports Classic, played in Irvine, California.  UC Irvine defeated LIU by twenty-points, in an 84-64 final.  Eastern Washington then went triple-digits against the Blackbirds, winning by a lopsided 102-70 margin.  LIU regained a measure of composure versus Boston University, but still fell by a 72-57 final.  Fifty-seven points marks their lowest offensive output so far, while 102 points allowed speaks for itself.

Back home in their Ashland Place Gymnasium, the Blackbirds got December off on the right foot.  On Sunday, they turned homecoming into a thriller.  With the score tied 72-72 and six seconds left on the game clock, the Norfork State Spartans held possession.  Coming out of a time out, NSU's Malcom Hawkins' attempted jumper was blocked by LIU's Troy Joseph.  E.J. Reed came up with the loose ball and found Jason Brickman for an outlet. Brickman then dribbled beyond mid-court, and laced a text book bounce pass to Gerrell Martin filling the paint, and who converted the transition for the game winning lay-up as time expired.  With that, the Blackbirds secured their second victory of the season by a 74-72 final.

All five Blackbirds starters scored in double-digits, led by Gerrell Martin's 16 points.

Next up, the Blackbirds head into Newark, New Jersey, this Thursday, to take on the Seton Hall Pirates.



Mike.BTB

LIU Blackbirds: Eaten Up By UC Irvine Anteaters; Face Eastern Washington Tonight

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

FRIDAY FINAL

LIU Blackbirds   64

UC Irvine            84

LIU/BROOKLYN BLACKBIRDS: Anteaters Feast On The Boards, Shoot 55% from Floor, As LIU Falls By Twenty.

The following goes for the pro team that plays further down Flatbush Avenue as well.  When you only shoot 34% from the field, odds are you're going to loose, unless, you compensate on defense, dominate the boards, and/or get to the line and bury free throws.

Playing their first game since facing the Indiana Hoosiers ten days ago, perhaps rust played a major roll in LIU's defeat.  Gerrell Martin led the team with 27 minutes, and led the Blackbirds with 12 shots, but only two found net.  E.J. Reed, who led LIU in points over the first two games, was only 2/9 from the field.  Jason Brickman endured a relatively silent night, scoring just two points in 26 minutes, but issued a game high 6 assists.  All together, the Blackbirds were an ice cold 21/61 from the field.

Landon Atterberry led the Blackbirds with 14 points.  Gilbert Parga was the only other Blackbird in double-digit scoring, with 10 points. 

The Anteaters had four players score in double-digits, led by Chris McNealy's 15 points, while UC Irvine shot 55% from the field, converting on 33/60 shot attempts.

The Blackbirds additionally got crushed on the boards by a 44-29 margin.  UC Irvine's Will Davis II pulled down a game high 8 rebounds, while Glenn Feidanga pulled down 7 for LIU.  Effective ball distribution also foiled LIU.  UC Irvine shared and passed the ball to the tune of 25 assists, while LIU only had 11 team assists.

Next up, the Blackbirds will remain in Irvine, California, to face the Eastern Washington Eagles this evening.  They will then wrap up the 2K Sports Classic on Sunday versus Boston University.

TONIGHT

 

Eastern Washington Eagles

vs.

LIU Blackbirds

FROM

The Left Coast

Mike.BTB

LIU Blackbirds: Kids From Flatbush Gave Indiana Hoosiers All They Could Handle

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

 

Game One: LIU Gains First Victory Over St. Peter's

LIU/BROOKLYN BLACKBIRDS: Hoosiers Sweat Out Close Victory Over LIU.  Despite Last Second Misses, Senior Jason Brickman Leads Team In Very Spirited Effort.

The Hoops of Flatbush visited iconic Assembly Hall Tuesday evening to challenge the #23 ranked Indiana Hoosiers for the first time in their history.  The Blackbirds were otherwise 2-16 versus Big Ten opponents entering last night's action.  By game's end however, they dropped to 2-17 against the Big Ten.

A home crowd of 17, 472 watched the Hoosiers almost go down in defeat with the ball in LIU's hands.  LIU was seconds away from victory, but in the end, things just didn't work out.  The Flatbush Hoops put in a stellar effort, and can nonetheless leave Assembly Hall with their heads held quite high.

The Hoosiers opened up with Kevin Ferrell launching up an immediate three.  At 19:06, Gerrell Martin put Brooklyn on the board with a pair.

The Blackbirds then went down 2-8 and again by 4-10, before E.J. Reed hit a jumper at 12:46 to give LIU their first lead by an 11-10 margin.  A few minutes later, Jason Brickman's lay-up put Brooklyn ahead by an 18-10 score.

The Blackbirds twice led by as many as nine points times during the first half.

However, with 0:18 left, they only held a 34-33 lead, but a layup by Chris Carter closed out the half with LIU ahead by a 36-33 score over the Hoosiers.

Indiana opened the second half with a lay-up to get within one, and by 17:31, LIU/Brooklyn found themselves down by a point.  But they stayed composed, and at 14:02, D.J. Griggs nailed a pair of free throws to open up another five point lead for the Blackbirds.

Indiana went up again 73-72 with 1:27 left on the clock.  In the last seconds, Jason Brickman unfortunately missed a lay-up with 0:05 left.  He then rebounded a missed free throw at the other end, and heaved up a three point attempt with one second left on the clock, that didn't find net.  Indiana recovered the defensive rebound and the buzzer sounded.

Jason Brickman otherwise played brilliantly in leading his young squad against the famed Indiana Hoosiers.  He tied for game high with 37 minutes, scored 11 points, but shot poorly overall - 3/11 from the floor.  He did however issue a game high 11 assists.

The Blackbirds had four players in double-digit scoring, while the Hoosiers had three.  Troy Joseph led LIU with 16 points.  Gilbert Parga and E.J. Reed both contributed 15 each.  Indiana's Will Sheehey led all scorers with 19 points, while the Hoosiers cleaned up on the boards by a 48-35 margin.  Indiana held the Blackbirds to just 9 offensive rebounds.




Mike.BTB

LIU Blackbirds: Gain First Victory Of Season Over St. Peter's

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

LIU BLACKBIRDS: Start 2013-14 Regular Season With 87-80 Victory Over St. Peter's Peacocks.

Next Up - Indiana Hoosiers.

Jason Brickman Scores 13 Points, Issues 14 Assists.

 

Earlier this afternoon, the Flatbush Hoops made the very short trip from the Wellness Center to Barclays Center to host the St. Peter's Peacocks in this year's regular season opener.

All got off on the right foot, as LIU defeated St. Peter's by an 87-80 final.  All five of LIU's starters scored in double-digits, led by a team high 24-points from junior guard Gerrell Martin, while Jason Brickman led all players with 14 assists.

The Peacocks were led by their forwards Marvin Dominique and Quadir Welton.  Dominique led all players with both with 31 points and 14 rebounds.  Welton added 16 points and 11 rebounds.  Although LIU lost the battle on the glass, the Blackbirds employed a familiar recipe to gain victory by pounding St. Peter's at the line and from beyond the three.  The Blackbirds were 26/35 from the line, good for 74.3%, while the Peacocks only managed only 11/21, for 54.2% shooting from the line.  LIU overwhelmed the Peacocks from beyond the three-point line with 45.8% success on 11/24 shooting.  St. Peter's could only manage 3/11 for only 27.3 percent.  Gerrell Martin was 6/8 from three-point land.

St. Peter's took more shots from the field however, and posted a 51.6 field-goal percentage on 33/64 shooting.  The Blackbirds were 44.6% on 25/56 shooting.

The Blackbirds led 39-32 at the half, and rode that seven point margin to victory.

Next up, LIU will travel to Indiana and take on the Hoosiers this Tuesday evening.



Mike.BTB