Sharks survive and advance in NECs

LIU moves on, but SFC sent home by Mount St. Mary's

March 3, 2022 John Torenli, Sports Editor

Ty Flowers and the LIU Sharks. Photo courtesy of LIU Athletics

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Ty Flowers scored a team-high 20 points, including a tiebreaking 3-pointer in the second half, as Long Island University topped Sacred Heart, 82-75, in the Northeast Confernce quarterfinals Wednesday night in front of 732 fans at Brooklyn’s Wellness Center.

Flowers, who was denied NEC Player of the Year honors prior to the start of the nine-team race for the conference’s lone spot in the NCAA Tournament, went 9-of-16 from the floor, including 4-of-8 from beyond the arc, and also ripped down 10 rebounds for the Sharks (16-13, 12-6 NEC).

The grad student forward snapped a 44-44 deadlock with a deadeye 3-pointer with 13:24 left in regulation.

From there, LIU held off SHU, which stayed as close as three points before Alex Rivera gave the Sharks some breathing room at 58-53 on a clutch jumper off a feed from Tre Wood with 6:38 left.

Flowers threw down a dunk on LIU’s ensuing trip to settle matters as the Sharks moved on to the semifinals.

The Sharks will visit No. 2 Wagner at Staten Island’s Spiro Center Saturday night at 8 p.m.

Tedrick Wilcox Jr. was unable to guide SFC Brooklyn past Mount St. Mary’s in the NEC quarterfinals Wednesday. Photo courtesy of SFC Brooklyn Athletics

LIU lost both previous meetings vs. the Seahawks (20-5, 13-3), who stomped visiting St. Francis University (Pennsylvania) in Wednesday’s quarterfinals, 82-53, behind the program’s first triple-double since 1997.

Newly named NEC Player of the Year Alex Morales had 11 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for Wagner, which also celebrated the tournament’s first triple-double since LIU legend Carey Scurry accomplished the feat in 1983.

Things didn’t go nearly as well for St. Francis Brooklyn, which saw its season end in Emmittsburg, Maryland Wednesday night via a 78-48 loss at Mount St. Mary’s.

The Terriers (10-20, 7-11) got a team-high 12 points from Rob Higgins, but will have to wait until next year to try to nail down their first-ever invite to the NCAAs.

The Mount advanced to Saturday’s semifinal showdown at Bryant.

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The Brooklyn College Bulldogs are NCAA Tournament-bound after winning their second straight CUNYAC title last week. Photo courtesy of BC Athletics

Locked into the second seed in the upcoming women’s NEC Championships, SFC will be aiming for its program-record 13th conference win Thursday night when the Terriers host Central Connecticut State Thursday night at Remsen Street’s Pope Center.

The Terriers (16-9, 12-5 NEC) are eligible to play at least the first two games of the tournament in Brooklyn Heights, with the quarterfinal opener to be played here Monday against a yet-to-be-determined opponent.

The LIU ladies, tied for fifth place in the league standings, will finish the regular season Thursday night at Bryant in Smithfield, Rhode Island before hitting the hardwood for a shot at the NCAAs on Monday.

The Sharks (8-17, 8-9) are tied with SFU for the fifth slot, one game behind Wagner for the right to host an opening-round game.

Over at Brooklyn College, the two-time defending CUNYAC champion Bulldogs are headed to Northhampton, Massachusetts Friday for the opening-round of the NCAA Division III championships.

BC beat John Jay College for the CUNYAC crown last Friday at CCNY, punching their ticket to the dance, where they’ll meet Emmanuel College at 5 p.m.