LIU/Brooklyn Blackbirds: March Madness Begins Now

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

NCAA TOURNAMENT

 *  *  THE FIRST FOUR  *  *

EAST REGION @ DAYTON, OHIO

#16 LIU Brooklyn 

BLACKBIRDS

Northeast Champions ~ (18-16)

vs.

#16 Radford University 

HIGHLANDERS

Big South Champions ~ (22-12)

Tuesday, March 13, 6:40pm

The winner faces #1 Villanova Wildcats @ Pittsburgh.

These team previously faced each other only once in their respective history during the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament on Nov. 19, 2011 in which LIU emerged victoriously by a convincing 81-59 final margin of victory.

This is the Blackbirds seventh ever appearance in the NCAA tournament, and their first since getting knocked out of the First Four round in 2013 by the James Madison Dukes.  They are yet to win a tourney game in six previous attempts.  The Blackbirds nevertheless enter Tuesday's game winners of five straight, including their most recent upset over top seeded Wagner in the NEC Final.  They were 5-11 on the road this season, and split two games at neutral sites.  Joel Hernandez is LIU leading scorer, averaging 20.9 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.  He averages 46 percent shooting from the field, and 38 percent three point range.

Radford is making third ever trip to the dance, and their first since 2009.  They are presently in the midst of a seven game winning streak.  The Highlanders are 7-10 road, and 4-0 at neutral sites.  Ed Polite Jr. is the team's leading scorer, averaging 13.5 points per game, and 7.7 rebounds.

TeamRankings.com 

LIU Brooklyn Bracketology Projection

BROOKLYN BLACKBIRDS STARTING FIVE

Julian Batts ~ Julius Van Sauer ~ Raiquan Clark ~ Joel Hernandez ~ Jashaun Agosto

GO BROOKLYN

GO BLACKBIRDS

LIU/Brooklyn Blackbirds Win Northeast Conference Title

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

LET THE MADNESS BEGIN!

2017 - 2018

Northeast Conference Champions

LIU BROOKLYN BLACKBIRDS

1984      1997      2011      2012      2013

LIU/Brooklyn Blackbirds: Derek Kellogg leads Flatbush to its sixth ever NEC title in his first season as head coach.

Wagner and LIU had previously split their regular season series with each team successfully protecting home court.  LIU outlasted Wagner back in January at the WRAC, then bowed to the Seahawks at Staten Island.

To date, that remains LIU's last loss.

Since falling to Wagner on Feb. 17, the Blackbirds proceeded to win four in a row in the games leading up to last Tuesday's Northeast Conference final.  However, all four victories occurred home at the WRAC.  Brooklyn had only gone 5-11 on the road this season, and were headed back to Staten Island for one last game (which TeamRankings.com only gave them a roughly 22 percent chance of winning).

FINAL

Blackbirds  71

Seahawks    61

It took 2:48 minutes, but top-seeded Wagner finally opened the scoring with a three-pointer.  They still maintained a 9-7 lead by the 13:19 mark.  But after a Joel Hernandez jumper put LIU ahead 9-8 just over a minute later, the Seahawks would never again lead in this game. 

Raiquan Clark closed out the first half with a three-pointer giving LIU a 34-18 lead and a sixteen point advantage.

Wagner shot a mere (7/33) 21.2 percent from the field, and were just (2/14) 14.3 percent from three-point range in the first half.  Despite seven less field goal attempts and getting out-rebounded, the Blackbirds were (13/26) fifty-percent from the field, and (4/11) 36.4 percent from beyond the arch.

In the second half, the best the Seahawks would do is get within seven points of LIU, but no more.  A pair of Wagner free three throws at 4:37 made the score 57-50 in LIU's favor, whom then went on an 8-2 run to go up by thirteen with 2:20 remaining on the clock.  Wagner again made it a seven point deficit with 1:04 to go.  But Brooklyn would effectively close things out at the free throw line en route to a ten point margin of victory.

Just as in the first half, Wagner put up more shots than did LIU but continued failing at finding their range.  The Seahawks were only a slightly improved (14/37) 37.8 percent from the field, but just (4/19) 21.1 percent on three-point attempts in the second half. 

Brooklyn, meanwhile, improved to (12/21) 57.1 percent from the field in the second half.  They only put up a trio of three-point attempts, but more importantly converted on (12/17) 70.6 percent from the charity line.

Overall, Wagner out-rebounded LIU, scored more second-chance points, created more steals, scored more points off turnovers, committed less turnovers, distributed more assists, and even outscored LIU 43-37 in the second half.  They simply picked a bad time to lose their touch.  They shot just (21/70) thirty percent from the field, and connected on just (6/33) 18.2 percent from three-point range. 

Although LIU took 23 less overall shots, the Blackbirds were 53.2 percent from the floor, and 35.7 percent from beyond the arch.  Brooklyn also managed 24 attempts from the free throw line, seven more than Wagner whom finished with 17 attempts.

Joel Hernandez was named NEC tournament MVP after leading all players with 32 points, and securing seven rebounds.  He played a particularly major role from the free throw line, converting on eleven of his game high fourteen attempts.  Raiquan Clark was second with seven attempts from the stripe.  He added twenty points and eight rebounds (seven defensive).

From fourth seed to champion, the LIU/Brooklyn Blackbirds defeat the NEC's regular season champ and number one seed Wagner College from Staten Island.  The Battle of the Boroughs is done. Brooklyn wins their sixth Northeast Conference title, and their first since 2013 when they capped off a three year run as NEC champs.

• Quarterfinals: LIU 73; Saint Francis Brooklyn 50
• Semifinals: LIU 78; Fairleigh Dickinson University 77
• Conference Finals: LIU 71; Wagner College 61

This will be head coach Derek Kellogg's second ever trip to the NCAA tournament.  However, he wins his first ever conference title in only his first season with the Blackbirds.  Prior to Brooklyn, he previously coached the UMass Minutemen for nine seasons whom qualified for the 2013-2014 NCAA tourney as a buy-in.

The Blackbirds are now 18-16 on the season, and winners of five in a row.

LIU/Brooklyn Blackbirds Advance to Northeast Conference Finals

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

FINAL

Knights       77

Blackbirds   78

LIU/Brooklyn Blackbirds: Flatbush fends off FDU Knights; Set stage for Battle of the Boroughs versus Staten Island's Wagner Seahawks to decide Northeast Conference champion.

Winning the opening tip and scoring the first basket, Fairleigh Dickinson set Saturday's NEC semifinal game at the WRAC in motion.

After misfiring on their first possession, LIU's Joel Hernandez put Flatbush on the board when he connected from beyond the arch for three.  The Blackbirds continued setting the initial pace, jumping out to an early 16-6 lead.

Roughly five minutes into the fray, however, the Knights began settling down.  And by the midway point of the half, FDU was in the midst of a 14-0 run that would change the complexion of the game.  Led by forward Kaleb Bishop's ten points and eleven rebounds, FDU built a fourteen point lead with 1:04 remaining in the half.

The Knights stayed on target through the first twenty minutes, shooting 48.6 percent from the field, and fifty percent (4/8) from beyond the arch.  The Blackbirds, on the other hand, were just 34.4 percent from the field, and just twenty percent (3/15) from three-point range.

Raiquan Clark, Joel Hernandez, and Julian Batts, were the only Blackbirds to register first-half points.  Clark kept LIU moving along with sixteen points, but not before having to iron out a rough start in which he committed five of LIU's six turnovers.

With the Blackbirds trailing 23-18, a Julian Batts steal led to a fast-break the other way.  However, Batts failed to pick up Clark trailing the play.  Batts elected to keep it and wound up earning a trip to the stripe, but not before Clark voiced his displeasure with Julian over the play.

Later in the half, I also witnessed Raiquan in the paint jawing with Knights forward Mike Holloway Jr. after a physical sequence in LIU's end.  It was then the game paused for a TV timeout, and I estimate the ref spent ten seconds having a one-sided conversation with Clark whom stood positioned at the free throw line.

With time winding down in the first half, Joel Hernandez converted a pair of free throws with 0:31 left to at least bring the Blackbirds within nine points by the intermission.

In one respect - just one - the second half played out no differently.  The Blackbirds never did come up with an answer for Kaleb Bishop, whom finished up with a game-high 22 rebounds and a complimentary nineteen points.  LIU, meanwhile, had 33 rebounds all game.

Otherwise, the second half was an entirely different story.

The Blackbirds found their range over the final twenty minutes, shooting 51.4 percent from the field and fifty percent (6/12) from beyond the arch.  Whereas the Knights effectively performed an about face.  An intensified defensive effort on behalf of LIU is partly to blame for Fairleigh Dickinson dipping to 37.5 from the field, and for being limited to six three-point attempts in the second half.

It should be noted, though, Coach Kellogg utilized a four man bench and asked them to contribute 37 minutes.  Whereas Fairleigh Dickinson head coach Greg Herenda effectively implemented a one-man bench, freshman Elyjah Williams whom logged thirteen minutes.  Four of FDU's five starters played at least 39 minutes; freshman forward Noah Morgan played forty minutes.

Flatbush began chipping away at FDU's lead, and by the 13:01 mark, Raiquan Clark was assisting on Julian Batts' three-pointer, thus reducing LIU's deficit to just one.  Joel Hernandez then picked the Knights pockets clean on their ensuing possession, and punctuated his thievery with an emphatic dunk at the other end.  That gave the Blackbirds their first lead of the second half which they extended to seven points through the 5:30 mark.

FDU then made their final push, going on an 11-0 run.  Kaleb Bishop converted a pair of free throws to put FDU up by four with 1:58 remaining in regulation.

Before long, however, Julian Batts' three-pointer tied the game, 76-76, with 1:13 left to play.

Zach Coleman's fifth personal foul of the game put FDU's Mike Holloway Jr. at the line with just 0:49 left on the clock.  Flatbush caught a break when Holloway missed on his first attempt.  He connected on his second attempt putting FDU up by one.

Joel Hernandez launched a wayward three on LIU's ensuing possession.  Kaleb Bishop secured the rebound and the Knights called for time.  After the thirty second break, Raiquan Clark fouled Bishop with 0:09 seconds left in regulation.  But in the end, the only one seemingly able to thwart Kaleb Bishop proved to be Bishop himself.  The game's star to this point ponderously missed both free throw attempts to FDU's dismay - LIU's Julius Van Sauers secured the rebound off the second attempt.

Then, with just 0:03 seconds left, an overzealous Mike Holloway Jr. fouled Jashaun Agosto whom converted both free throw attempts giving the Blackbirds a 78-77 lead, and their ultimate margin of victory.

There's something to be said for having your legs under you.  It has always been my understanding when you have no legs, your shot is the first to suffer.  And if you consider what I'm suggesting with regard to Coach Herenda's lack of substitutions, this could have potentially factored in the Knights second half demise.  They were just 16/24 from the line in the second half, and just 2/6 over the final 1:50 of the game.  Kaleb also missed a layup with 0:50 left.  And Noah Morgan missed from three-point range as time expired (as previously noted, Morgan was the only one to play forty minutes).

Raiquan Clark wound up leading all players with 28 points, to go along with seven boards and four assists.  Joel Hernandez was the game's second leading scorer with 25 points.  Julian Batts was only 3/8 from three-point territory, but his three conversions couldn't have been more timely.  Jashaun Agaosto led the team with six assists.

The quest to win this season's Northeast championship now becomes a Battle of the Boroughs.  Brooklyn's LIU Blackbirds will face Staten Island's number one seed Wagner Seahawks in the conference final, on Tuesday, March 6, at the Spiro Sports Center.

The teams split their regular season match-up, with both protecting home court.

• 1/13 @ Brooklyn - LIU 69; Wagner 76
• 2/17 @ Staten Island - Wagner 78; LIU 74

Fourth seeded Flatbush is vying for their sixth NEC championship.  A charter member of the conference, they are the only men's program to ever win three consecutive NEC crowns (2011-2013).

The top seeded Seahawks are winners of their third ever regular season title.  They captured their one and only NEC title back in 2003 over Saint Francis of Brooklyn.  Wagner led the conference with a 14-4 record, and a 28-3 record overall.

BROOKLYN vs. STATEN ISLAND

NORTHEAST CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

TUESDAY

LIU BLACKBIRDS

vs.

WAGNER SEAHAWKS

FROM

Richmond County

NEC Semifinals: LIU/Brooklyn hosting Fairleigh Dickinson

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

NEC QUARTERFINALS

Terriers       50

Blackbirds  73

FINAL

LIU/Brooklyn Blackbirds surfing home court advantage; seeking to extend win streak at WRAC to four games in NEC semifinals against #6 Fairleigh Dickinson.

Bring on the Knights.

With Wednesday's commanding 73-50 victory over neighboring Saint Francis/Brooklyn, the Blackbirds advance to Saturday's Northeast Conference semifinals where they'll face #6 Fairleigh Dickinson.

After jumping out to a 35-23 first half lead over the Saint Francis Terriers, LIU would cruise to a 23-point margin of victory.  

The Blackbirds were 43.9% from the field, and 40% from beyond the three.  Afflicted by poor accuracy, however, the Terriers shot a problematic 27.6% from the field, and just 4 of 21 (19%) from beyond the arch.  The Terriers were credited with just six team assists all game, and were also outworked 33-47 on the boards.

Blackbirds Joel Hernandez led all scorers with 26 points.  Jashaun Agosto contributed 12 points, seven rebounds, and led all players with five assists.  Zach Coleman scored seven off the bench, and tied for a game-high ten rebounds.  LIU inflicted particular damage on the run with eleven unmatched fast-break points.

SATURDAY

#7 Fairleigh Dickinson

KNIGHTS

vs.

#4 LIU/Brooklyn

BLACKBIRDS

FROM

Ashland Place

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN

The Blackbirds and Knights split their regular season head-to-head match-up, with each team gaining victory on the other's court.

• Dec. 29  FDU 82 @ LIU 71
• Jan. 11   LIU 90 @ FDU 85

Fairleigh Dickinson finished the regular season with a 9-9 conference record, and a 13-17 record overall.  They upset #3 Saint Francis (PA), 84-73, in the quarterfinals improving to 5-12 on the road.

Saturday's game is the Blackbirds fourth consecutive game at the WRAC, where they closed out the regular season with victories over Saint Francis/Brooklyn and Sacred Heart University, then another over the Terriers in the quarterfinals.  They're presently 11-4 at home, and 16-16 overall.

LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds Trends - TeamRankings.com

The #1 seed Wagner Seahawks are hosting #7 Robert Morris in the other NEC semifinal match-up.  Wagner knocked off #8 Central Connecticut State University in their quarterfinal match-up, while the #7 Colonials upended #2 Mount St. Mary's setting up Saturday's showdown at Staten Island.

LIU/Brooklyn Blackbirds: Flatbush Hoops Upset Rival Wagner Seahawks

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

FINAL

WAGNER               67

LIU/BROOKLYN   69

LIU/Brooklyn Blackbirds: Flatbush Scores Upset Over Staten Island Rival.

All seemed fine when Julian Batts' three-pointer at 14:36 of the second half put the Blackbirds up by nine.  He converted a layup during his very next trip up the floor making the score 48-40 in Brooklyn's favor.

That's when Wagner began chipping away until finally tying the score at sixty-seven off a pair of free-throws with just 0:13 second left on the clock.

Off the ensuing change of possession, Julian Batts reemerged, and his lay-up with just 0:02 seconds left sealed Brooklyn's huge 69-67 victory over the NEC's second place team at the Wellness Center.

Joel Hernandez secured a game-high seven rebounds.  Meanwhile, the Seahawks only pulled down seven rebounds all game.  The Blackbirds dominated the boards with 36 total rebounds.  Hernandez also tied Wagner's Romone Saunders with a game-high 18 points.

Batts was second on the team with 13 points, connecting on 5/7 from the field, including 3/4 from beyond the arc.

The victory is Brooklyn's second straight.  The Blackbirds previously scored a 90-85 revenge win over Fairleigh Dickinson University on Thursday.  LIU now evens their conference record at 3-3, while improving to 5-3 at home.

LIU/Brooklyn Blackbirds: Bring on the NEC

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

NORTHEAST CONFERENCE

LIU/Brooklyn Blackbirds: Flatbush Closes Out Non-Conference Schedule With First Road Victory of Season.

Flatbush concluded their non-conference schedule on Friday with a 74-66 victory over the Binghamton University Bearcats.  In gaining their fourth victory over an America East opponent, the Blackbirds improve to 5-8 overall.

Although they previously earned a neutral site victory earlier this season at the Jamaica Classic, their recent triumph over Binghamton at upstate Vestal, New York, additionally marks the Blackbirds' first road win of the season.

Despite jumping out to a 13-4 lead, and still leading by eight with six minutes left in the half, LIU only took a one point lead into the break.

The Bearcats, however, spent the second session in foul trouble while the Blackbirds took full advantage, converting 15/23 from the charity stripe.  They were similarly effective from the field, shooting 14/24 (60.8%) in the second half despite only converting 1/7 from beyond the three.

Binghamton's shooting from the field, meanwhile, lagged throughout, finishing just 43.4% for the game.

Flatbush otherwise out-rebounded Binghamton by a 33-25 margin, and likewise outscored them by a 9-2 spread in second chance points.

Joel Hernandez led all scorers with 25 points to go along with a game high eight rebounds.

Raiquan Clark added 23 points, and five boards.  He was 6/6 from the field, but inflicted particular damage from the free throw line, converting on 11/15 chances.

*

The Blackbirds are 3-2 so far at home this season, where they will open their Northeast Conference schedule on Dec.29 against Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Entering conference play, Wagner presently leads the standings with a 7-5 record.  Saint Francis U and Central Connecticut are the other teams presently playing above par.  Point being, the sixth place Blackbirds aren't necessarily entering conference play far behind the competition.

LIU/Brooklyn Blackbirds Turn Away Stony Brook

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

Would the owner of a blue and red bus blocking traffic

at the intersection of Church Avenue and Flatbush Avenue please move!

FINAL

Stony Brook     71

LIU/Brooklyn  75

LIU/Brooklyn Blackbirds: Flatbush Wins Second Straight; Remain Unbeaten At Home.

With Monday's victory over Stony Brook, the LIU Blackbirds improved to 3-3 over their last six games, and 4-6 overall.  Better yet, they've won two straight, and are now 3-0 at home.

Despite trailing 34-38 at halftime, LIU outscored the visiting Seawolves 41-33 in the second half to come away with a 75-71 victory.

A pair of Joel Hernandez free throws put the Blackbirds up by seven with seven minutes left to play.  But a Stony Brook steal and a dunk at the other end tied the score 65-65 with three and a half minutes to go.  Raiquan Clark would later scored on a fast break at the 2:01 mark off a defensive rebound by Julian Batts to put LIU ahead for good.  Jashaun Agosto's three with 0:15 second left would ultimately seal the deal for Brooklyn.

Both teams shot an identical 6/17 (35%) from beyond the three, both scored 42 points in the paint, and both committed 18 turnovers.  The Seawolves pulled down just one more rebound than did the Blackbirds, but outpaced the Blackbirds 21-13 on points off turnovers. 

LIU maintained their composure and closed out the Seawolves by converting five of eight free throw attempts over the final three minutes.

Coach Kellogg ran a tight ship again, going with an eight man rotation for the second time in LIU's last three games.  Four Blackbirds logged over thirty minutes. 

Joel Hernandez led all scorers with 23 points, while Julian Batts led the floor with nine rebounds.  Raiquan Clark added 20 points and six rebounds.

Sophomore forward Julius Van Sauers scored 16 points and secured six rebounds in 22 minutes off the bench.  He was 6/7 from the floor, connected on a three, and was a perfect 3/3 from the line.

*

After a well deserved break, the Blackbirds will resume play with two games at Barclays Center against Fairfield University and Saint Peter's University.

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.