Sharks smell blood in delayed opener

LIU runs past Sacred Heart behind Flowers and company

December 17, 2020 John Torenli, Sports Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Ty Flowers and his LIU teammates made up for a slow start by rallying past Sacred Heart in their long-awaited season opener Wednesday in Fairfield, Connecticut. Photo courtesy of LIU Athletics

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Senior Ty Flowers scored 20 points and pulled down 13 rebounds Wednesday night as the Long Island University men’s basketball team finally got its season underway with a 75-55 rout of Northeast Conference rival Sacred Heart at the William H. Pitt Center in Fairfield, Connecticut.

The Sharks (1-0, 1-0 NEC), who had last week’s scheduled two-game opening series against visiting Merrimack postponed in Downtown Brooklyn due to ongoing concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, were the last team in the league to hit the hardwood.

Though they fell behind 15-8 in the early going against the Pioneers (0-2, 0-1), the Sharks finally began swimming upstream and pulled within 31-28 at the half.

Sophomore Tre Wood’s jumper with 8:34 remaining knotted the contest at 50-50 before Wood fed Flowers for an alley-oop dunk that sparked LIU TO A game-ending 25-5 run.

Flowers made half of his 16 shots from the floor as the Sharks finally got a chance to begin living up to their second place preseason ranking in the NEC Coaches’ Poll.

Junior Jermaine Jackson Jr., poured in 17 points, Wood added 13 and fellow sophomore Alex Rivera added 12 for LIU, which was scheduled for a quick rematch with Sacred Heart on Thursday afternoon at 4 p.m., weather permitting.

Mike Sixsmith and Cantavino Dutreil scored 10 points apiece for the Pioneers, who had to deal with seven postponements/cancellations of their own before playing their first game since a season-opening loss at Rutgers on Nov. 25.

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Junior forward Vuk Stevanic goes up for two of his six points Wednesday during SFC Brooklyn’s 78-59 loss at Central Connecticut State. Photo courtesy of SFC Brooklyn Athletics

Senior forward Yaradyah Evans scored a team-high 10 points and grabbed six rebounds off the bench Wednesday, but it wasn’t enough as St. Francis Brooklyn had its two-game winning streak snapped with a 78-59 loss to Central Connecticut State in New Britain, Conn.

Reigning NEC Co-Player of the Week Travis Atson had his first rough outing as a Terrier, managing just seven points on 2-of-9 shooting with a pair of turnovers in 21 minutes.

Though SFC (2-2, 2-2) stayed within 31-30 at the half, the Blue Devils (2-5, 2-2) closed out the first half with a 19-10 run and never looked back, outscoring the Terriers 48-28 following intermission.

Senior Chauncey Hawkins had nine points and five assists for SFC, which will return to action next Wednesday against Saint Peter’s at the Pope Center on Remsen Street.

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Junior Aislinn Flynn scored 11 points in LIU’s first win of the season Wednesday over visiting Sacred Heart at the fanless Steinberg Wellness Center in Downtown Brooklyn. Photo courtesy of LIU Athletics

Junior Ryan Weise scored 14 points, handed out five assists and picked up three steals Wednesday as the LIU women held on for a 56-55 triumph over Sacred Heart at the fanless Steinberg Wellness Center.

Junior Kiara Bell added 11 points and six rebounds for the Sharks (1-1, 1-1), who rebounded nicely from Tuesday’s season-opening 73-64 loss to the Pioneers (1-1, 1-1).

Junior Aislinn Flynn had 11 points, six boards and three blocked shots for the Brooklyn-based Sharks, who opened a 56-47 lead with just under four minutes remaining on a pair of free throws by Weise before SHU rallied to score the game’s final eight points.

The Pioneers had a chance to burn the Sharks just before the buzzer, but SHU’s Olivia Dabney missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer with four ticks left on the clock.

The Sharks will be off until Jan. 7, when they visit Saint Francis (Pennsylvania) in Loretto, Pa.