Posted: Feb 24, 2018
Brooklyn, N.Y. – The Sacred Heart University men's basketball team saw its season come to a close, falling 88-77 to LIU Brooklyn Saturday afternoon. Joseph Lopez recorded his 10th double-double of the year, leading the way with 17 points and 11 rebounds.
Records
SHU - 10-21, 5-13 NEC
LIU Brooklyn - 15-16, 10-8 NEC
The Turning Point
Kinnon LaRose knocked down a three-pointer with 8:17 to play to get the Pioneers within a point, 63-62. The Blackbirds scored 11 of the next 13 points to push their advantage back to double-digits, 74-64. SHU was unable to get closer than three points the rest of the contest.
First Half
- The Pioneers took an early 5-4 lead when Joe Lopez knocked down a three-points 2:02 into the game
- LIU Brooklyn scored 12 unanswered points, in a span of 2:16, to take a 16-5 advantage
- Lopez basket in the paint at14:47 ended the run momentarily, but the Blackbirds continued their run, building to a 16-point advantage, 29-13, with 9:50 to play in the period
- The Pioneers scored the next six points to get within 10, and were within 10, 31-21, on a E.J. Anosike basket with 6:06 to play before halftime
- LIU scored the next seven points, five from Raul Frias, to build their largest lead of the half, 38-21, at the 4:24 mark
- A Kinnon LaRose offensive rebound on the next possession led to a three pointer from ChaCha Tucker to end the run
- SHU finished the half on a 12-4 run, including the last four points, to cut the halftime deficit to 42-33
Second Half
- The Pioneer seniors shouldered the load early in the second-half, scoring 14 of the 20-11 half opening run, that cut a nine –point deficit to one, 54-53
- LIU responded with five straight to take a 59-53 lead and held that six-point advantage after a pair of Jashaun Agosto free throws with 9:16 to play
- Lopez converted in the paint on the next possession and after a Kinnon LaRose block, Lopez fed LaRose for a three, that got SHU within a point, 63-62, with 8:19 remaining in regulation
- LIU answered with Raiquain Clark and Agosto baskets, pushing the lead to 67-62
- Matasovic cleaned up his own miss to get SHU to within three, 67-64, but the Pioneers would get no closer
- LIU scored the next seven points and finished the final 7:00 of the game on a 23-12 run
Key Stats and Notes
- Along with Lopez, four other Pioneers scored in double digits
- Chris Robinson and Tucker both scored a season-high 12 points, while Sean Hoehn added 16
- SHU outrebounded LIU 45-34, with a 17-6 edge on the offensive glass that led to a 19-4 edge in second chance points
- LIU shot 50.8 percent (31-61) for the game
- Both teams finished with 14 assists, as Hoehn and Tucker dished out four apiece for the Pioneers
