Terriers pull out pair of wins at SFU

SFC men and women survive overtime with Red Flash

February 22, 2022 John Torenli, Sports Editor

Patrick Emilien had eight points in overtime Saturday as SFC Brooklyn won its third straight game at SFU. Photo courtesy of SFC Brooklyn Athletics

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Patrick Emilien scored eight of his team-high 21 points in overtime Saturday as the St. Francis Brooklyn men’s basketball team pulled out its third straight win, an 80-72 triumph at St. Francis University (Pennsylvania) in front of 818 fans at the Maurice Stokes Athletic Center in Loretto, Pa.

Emilien, a grad student forward from Toronto, Ontario, finished 7-of-13 from the floor and grabbed seven rebounds as the Terriers (10-17, 7-9 Northeast Conference) climbed into sole possession of sixth place in the NEC as the league tournament approaches early next month.

SFC is two games in front of seventh-place Fairleigh Dickinson with two regular-season contests remaining, including Thursday’s visit from second-place Bryant to Remsen Street.

Rob Higgins and Michael Cubbage added 20 points apiece for the Terriers, who are 10-9 since opening the campaign with eight consecutive losses.

The SFC women locked up the second seed in the NEC Tournament Saturday at SFU, emerging with a 57-54 overtime win for their fourth straight victory.

The Terriers (15-8, 11-4) are two games behind first-place FDU with three contests left, including Thursday night’s game at Bryant in Smithfield, Rhode Island.

Ally Lassen scored a team-high 17 points and Alyssa Fisher had 11 for SFC, which has never finished any higher than third in the NEC Tournament seedings.

Ally Lassen and the St. Francis Brooklyn women’s basketball team wrapped up the second seed in the NEC Tournament Saturday in Loretto, Pennsylvania. Photo courtesy of SFC Brooklyn Athletics

Over at Long Island University, the Sharks rolled to their fourth straight victory, a 66-61 triumph against Mount St. Mary’s before 2,625 fans at Knott Arena in Emmitsburg, Maryland.

Ty Flowers and Eral Penn had 13 points apiece for the Sharks (13-13, 10-6), who clinched the No. 3 seed in the NEC Tournament and will host a game at the Steinberg Wellness Center on Flatbush Avenue March 2 in the quarterfinal round.

The Sharks have two games remaining before the postseason, including Thursday’s home tilt vs. Merrimack College.

The LIU women’s team made it back-to-back wins and honored the program’s 2001 NEC Championship team with a 60-46 rout of visiting Mount St. Mary’s on Senior Day at the Wellness Center.

Fourth-year guard Kennedy Taylor scored 13 points and Brandy Taylor added 12 for the Sharks (7-16, 7-8), who are in fifth place in the NEC rankings with three games remaining, including Thursday’s visit to Merrimack College.

The LIU women’s hoops squad celebrated Senior Day with a big home win over Mount St. Mary’s Saturday. Photo courtesy of LIU Athletics

The top nine teams in both the women’s and men’s leagues will qualify for the season-ending NECs.

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In local Division III action, the Brooklyn College men’s team was upended by top-seeded Lehman Saturday in the Bronx in the opening round of the CUNYAC Championships, suffering a season-ending 71-54 defeat despite a team-high 17 points from Kayin Olajide.

The BC women, ranked first overall with a perfect mark in CUNYAC action, were scheduled to host Hunter College Tuesday night in their first-round game at the West Quad Center.

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In pro sports news, ESPN reported Monday that the Brooklyn Nets are about to officially sign veteran free-agent guard Goran Dragic for the remainder of the season.

Dragic began the season in Toronto before being traded to San Antonio, where he had his contract bought out.

The Nets, still waiting for New York City’s vaccination mandates to change so they can get Kyrie Irving back on the hardwood in Brooklyn, will return from the All-Star break Thursday, when they host Boston here at Downtown’s Barclays Center.