LIU Holds Off Men's Basketball, 81-79, on Sunday

February 21, 2021

Central Connecticut fell at LIU, 87-74, on Saturday night in Northeast Conference men's basketball action at the Steinberg Wellness Center. The Blue Devils dressed just seven players, but the Sharks were unable to pull away until a late run pushed the margin to double-figures

Central is now 4-14 overall and 4-11 in the Northeast Conference, while LIU moved to 8-7 overall and in the NEC

Junior Zach Newkirk led four Blue Devils in double-figures with a career-high 20 points. SOphomore Myles Baker had 17 points, while senior Stephane Ayangma added 11 and sophomore Xavier Wilson had 10. CCSU shot 30-of-66 (.455) overall and 6-of-19 (.316) from the three-point line. CCSU was 13-of-17 (.765) from the foul line.

Ty Flowers had 26 points and 11 rebounds to lead LIU, while Jermaine Jackson Jr. had 24 points. LIU shot 26-of-69 (.377) from the field and 11-of-36 (.306) from three-point range. The Sharks were 18-of-26 (.692) at the foul stripe.

GAME INFORMATION
Score: CCSU 79, LIU 81
Records: CCSU (4-15, 4-12 NEC), LIU (9-7, 9-7 NEC)
Location: Steinberg Wellness Center | Brooklyn, NY

KEY MOMENTS

Central used a 6-0 run to build a lead in the early going. The Blue Devils led 14-6 after back to back three-pointers by sophomore Myles Baker and junior Zach Newkirk with 14:38 to go in the opening period.
The Sharks took the lead late in the first half with a 10-2 run. Ty Flowers' layup with 2:43 left in the period gave LIU a 33-28 lead. Senior Stephane Ayangma scored five straight points for CCSU late in the half to help get the Blue Devils within 38-33 at the intermission.
LIU led throughout the opening half of the second period, but CCSU would not fall behind by more than six points. A quick four-point spurt capped off by a layup by Wilson gave CCSU a 54-53 lead with 10:28 to play. The Blue Devils would have their last lead of the day following a three-pointer by sophomore Jamir Reed to make it 57-56. A sequence that included a pair of technical fouls led to the Sharks scoring five points at the foul line to take the lead for good.
The game would be tied at 65, but the Blue Devils were unable to take the lead. LIU would take its largest lead of the day at 75-68 with 3:39 to play. CCSU would get within 77-76 after a layup by Ayangma with 0:11 to play, but Jackson would hit four foul shots to help the Sharks build a safe cushion despite a three-pointer by Baker to close out the scoring.

NUMBER TO KNOW

16 - Central had 16 assists in the game, marking its seventh contest with 15+ this season.

NOTES

LIU leads the all-time series 29-21 and has won seven straight meetings.
Central got points from every player who played in the game for the second straight contest and the sixth time on the season.
Newkirk was 7-of-12 from the field and played a career-high 37 minutes.
Ayangma added nine rebounds, a season-high, in 26 minutes.
Baker was 6-of-12 from the floor and grabbed a career-high eight rebounds.
Junior Nigel Scantlebury matched a personal-high with seven assists, against just one turnover.
Sophomore Greg Outlaw returned from a two-game absence with seven points and four rebounds in 20 minutes.

UP NEXT

CCSU will host Wagner to close out the regular season on Thursday and Friday. The games stream live and for free on NECFrontRow.com.