Nehls' 20 Points Helps Men's Basketball Hold Off LIU Brooklyn, 61-52

The Central Connecticut men's basketball held off a second-half charge from LIU Brooklyn to pick up a 61-52 win on Saturday at Detrick Gymnasium. The Blue Devils would lead throughout the second half and had a cushion as big as 12 points in the second half. LIU would cut the lead to three points late, but sophomore Austin Nehls would hit five foul shots in the last 0:33 to help seal the win.

Central improves to 4-17 overall and 2-8 in conference play. LIU slips to 14-9 overall and 7-3 in the league.

The win came on Alumni Day and longtime academic coordinator, Bobbie Koplowitz, was honored for her contributions at halftime.

Nehls scored a game-high 20 points, while junior Mustafa Jones and freshman Tyson Batiste each had 10 points. Senior Tidell Pierre grabbed eight rebounds.

LIU built a 12-5 lead in the early going. A layup by Nura Zanna capped a spurt of five straight points to make it 5-3. Jerome Frink would score five straight following a CCSU basket and a layup by Julian Batts with 15:35 left in the half would make it 12-5.

The Blue Devils would use an 8-0 run to retake the lead. Jones and Batiste would hit layups and four straight foul shots by Nehls gave Central a 13-12 lead.

Central would push its lead to 27-19 at the half following a spurt of six straight points. Junior Kevin Seymour would convert a slashing layup with four seconds left in the period to send the Blue Devils into the break with the lead. 

Batiste scored six points in the first half to lead Central, while seven players had a field goal in the opening half for CCSU. Central shot 40.7 percent from the field in the first half.

Julian Batts had seven points for LIU in the first half. The Blackbirds were limited to 31.8 percent shooting in the period and were forced into 11 turnovers.

LIU would cut the Central lead to three early in the second half. Frink would have two baskets on either side of two foul shots by Batts to make it 37-34 with 11:19 to play.

The Blue Devils would respond by pushing the lead to double-figures. A three-pointer by Nehls was followed by a fast-break layup from senior Khalen Cumberlander. A short jumper by Pierre with 8:35 to play put CCSU ahead, 46-35.

Central's lead would grow as large as 12 before the Blackbirds came back with nine unanswered points and held the Blue Devils without a field goal for over five minutes. A three-point play by Raiquan Clark started the spurt with 5:45 to play. Frink's layup with 2:48 to play cut the CCSU lead to 50-47.

Layups by Jones and Nehls would end the CCSU scoring drought and push the lead back to 54-47 with 1:55 to play. The Blackbirds would be unable to cut the deficit to closer than four points the rest of the way as Central would hit 7-of-10 from the line down the stretch.

Central finished the day 22-of-51 (.431) from the field and was 4-of-11 (.364) from three-point range. 

LIU was led by Frink's 15-point, 10-rebound day. Batts and Clark each added 11 points. The Blackbirds were 20-of-51 (.392) from the field and just 3-of-19 (.158) from three-point range. LIU was also just 9-of-24 (.375) from the foul stripe and committed 18 turnovers.

CCSU hosts Wagner on Thursday, February 2, at 7:00 p.m. before playing three straight on the road.