Men's Basketball Falls Short Against LIU on Sunday
Central Connecticut fell to LIU, 54-52, on Sunday afternoon in Northeast Conference men's basketball action at Detrick Gymnasium in New Britain, CT. The Blue Devils led with 4:27 to play before the Sharks outscored them, 7-3, down the stretch.
Devin Haid paced the Blue Devils with 20 points, while Jordan Jones finished with 11 points. Central shot 17-of-50 (.340) overall and 5-of-17 (.294) from three-point range. The Blue Devils were 13-of-20 (.650) at the foul line.
Malachi Davis and Terrell Strickland each scored 12 points to lead the Sharks. LIU shot 23-of-57 (.404) overall and 4-of-13 (.308) on three-pointers. LIU was 4-of-5 (.800) at the foul line.
GAME INFORMATION | BOX SCORE
Score: CCSU 52, LIU 54
Records: CCSU (11-6, 2-2 NEC), LIU (8-11, 4-0 NEC)
Location: Detrick Gymnasium | New Britain, CT
KEY MOMENTS
- CCSU got a three-pointer from Haid to open its scoring in the game, but that was the only field goal allowed by LIU in the opening six minutes. The Sharks would go ahead early, 7-3, following a jumper by Malachi Davis with 15:03 to go in the half.
- Davonte Sweatman would give Central a 10-9 lead following a three-pointer midway through the half. LIU would regain the lead with back-to-back baskets and eventually stretched the lead to 22-14 after a dunk by Shadrak Lasu with 2:14 left in the half. After two foul shots by Jordan Jones, Lasu would putback a miss just before the horn to make it 24-16 at halftime.
- LIU would take its largest lead of the game at 45-36 with 8:22 to play after a jumper by Davis. CCSU would respond by outscoring the Sharks, 13-2, over a span of 3:55 to take the lead. Jayden Brown would make it a one-point game with a putback before a Haid three-pointer put CCSU ahead, 49-47, and capped a 9-0 run with 4:27 to play.
- Strickland would score four straight points to put LIU back in front with 2:35 to play. The Sharks pushed its lead to five points with 2:18 remaining, but a pair of foul shots from Jordan Jones got CCSU within 54-52 with 40 seconds to play. The Blue Devils had a chance for a final shot under their own basket with 0:05 to play, but would lose the ball and ran out of time.
NUMBER TO KNOW
16 - The 16 points in the first half was a season-low in any half for Central this season
NOTES
- Max Frazier grabbed a game-high nine rebounds, matching a career-high.
- Haid added seven rebounds and two assists, while shooting 3-of-5 on three-pointers.
- The 16 points in the first half was a season-low in any half for Central this season.
- LIU leads the all-time series, 31-25, and ended a five-game CCSU win streak in the series.
UP NEXT
- Central travels to FDU on Saturday afternoon.
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