LIU Brooklyn uses 20-1 run in the first half to blow past Wagner, 94-82, to advance to NEC title game
The victory moves LIU Brooklyn (19-13) into the NEC championship game for the third straight season and a shot at an unprecedented third straight conference crown where the Blackbirds will face Mount St. Mary's in Tuesday's title game.
BY SEAN BRENNAN / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
HOWARD SIMMONS/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
C.J. Garner and coach Jack Perri are aiming to lead the Blackbirds to another conference title.
LIU Brooklyn is one win away from history.
After getting swept in the two-game regular season series by Wagner, LIU Brooklyn was looking to settle a score with the Seahawks Saturday. You see, no team in the 32-year history of the Northeast Conference had ever won back-to-back-to-back conference titles and if LIU Brooklyn, the two-time defending champions, had hopes of reaching the NEC title game for a record third straight season and a shot at the three-peat, it had to travel to Staten Island and take out a Wagner team that seemed to have its number this season.
A shot at ending LIU Brooklyn's dynasty and doing it on your home floor? Yes, things were lining up nicely for Wagner. Only the Blackbirds were having none of it.
C.J. Garner poured in 23 points and Jamal Olasewere and Jason Brickman each logged double doubles as LIU Brooklyn used a 20-1 run midway through the first half to steamroll Wagner, 94-82, in a Northeast Conference semifinal at the Spiro Sports Center.
The victory moves LIU Brooklyn (19-13) into the NEC championship game for the third straight season and a shot at an unprecedented third straight conference crown where the Blackbirds will face Mount St. Mary's in Tuesday's title game. LIU Brooklyn split the season series with Mount St. Mary's.
"Our goal coming in was to hit them early and not let up," said Olasewere, who scored 12 points with 12 rebounds. "It was like we were shot out of a cannon early in the game."
Wagner (19-12), the No. 2 seed, was trailing just 12-10 after a dunk by Kenneth Ortiz with 12:46 left in the first half. It was here that the Seahawks were thinking about a possible third straight win over their archrivals and closing within one more win of earning their second ever NCAA Tournament appearance.
But there's a reason the Blackbirds are the two-time champs and they immediately proceeded to crush Wagner's March dreams with a 20-1 run over a 7:00-span that blew the game open.
LIU Brooklyn's run started with a 3-pointer by senior Booker Hucks which was followed by a jumper by Garner. Before long Olasewere and Hucks were sinking back-to-back three-balls and the rout was on. E.J. Reed followed with a
three-point play as did Garner before a free throw by Troy Joseph and a dunk by Gerrell Martin closed out the run. When the smoke cleared LIU Brooklyn was holding a 32-11 lead.
The Blackbirds went off at the half up 49-29 and Wagner never really threatened the rest of the game, not getting any closer than 11 points.
"I had a feeling we were going to get them from the jump," Garner said. "We hit them early and punched them hard and we didn't let up. And we got great contributions from the bench, too."
The trio of Hucks (14 points), Reed (13) and Joseph (12) combined for a 39-point night from the Blackbirds bench. In all the Blackbirds had six players score in double figures.
"It was wild," LIU Brooklyn coach Jack Perri said. "Obviously we played a tremendous first half and we defended much better in this game."
It was the type of game expected from the two-time defending champions, who, thanks to Mount St. Mary's 69-60 upset victory of top-seeded Robert Morris, will now host the NEC title game for the third year in a row. Tipoff is 7 p.m. Tuesday night at the WRAC.
Neither Olasewere nor Garner would admit to thinking about the historical component they will be playing for vs. Mount St. Mary's, but Perri knows it's on their minds.
"They know we can accomplish something special here, something that's never been done before, that they can be the best team ever," Perri said. "They're not stupid. They know what's at stake."
The victory moves LIU Brooklyn (19-13) into the NEC championship game for the third straight season and a shot at an unprecedented third straight conference crown where the Blackbirds will face Mount St. Mary's in Tuesday's title game.
BY SEAN BRENNAN / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
HOWARD SIMMONS/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
C.J. Garner and coach Jack Perri are aiming to lead the Blackbirds to another conference title.
LIU Brooklyn is one win away from history.
After getting swept in the two-game regular season series by Wagner, LIU Brooklyn was looking to settle a score with the Seahawks Saturday. You see, no team in the 32-year history of the Northeast Conference had ever won back-to-back-to-back conference titles and if LIU Brooklyn, the two-time defending champions, had hopes of reaching the NEC title game for a record third straight season and a shot at the three-peat, it had to travel to Staten Island and take out a Wagner team that seemed to have its number this season.
A shot at ending LIU Brooklyn's dynasty and doing it on your home floor? Yes, things were lining up nicely for Wagner. Only the Blackbirds were having none of it.
C.J. Garner poured in 23 points and Jamal Olasewere and Jason Brickman each logged double doubles as LIU Brooklyn used a 20-1 run midway through the first half to steamroll Wagner, 94-82, in a Northeast Conference semifinal at the Spiro Sports Center.
The victory moves LIU Brooklyn (19-13) into the NEC championship game for the third straight season and a shot at an unprecedented third straight conference crown where the Blackbirds will face Mount St. Mary's in Tuesday's title game. LIU Brooklyn split the season series with Mount St. Mary's.
"Our goal coming in was to hit them early and not let up," said Olasewere, who scored 12 points with 12 rebounds. "It was like we were shot out of a cannon early in the game."
Wagner (19-12), the No. 2 seed, was trailing just 12-10 after a dunk by Kenneth Ortiz with 12:46 left in the first half. It was here that the Seahawks were thinking about a possible third straight win over their archrivals and closing within one more win of earning their second ever NCAA Tournament appearance.
But there's a reason the Blackbirds are the two-time champs and they immediately proceeded to crush Wagner's March dreams with a 20-1 run over a 7:00-span that blew the game open.
LIU Brooklyn's run started with a 3-pointer by senior Booker Hucks which was followed by a jumper by Garner. Before long Olasewere and Hucks were sinking back-to-back three-balls and the rout was on. E.J. Reed followed with a
three-point play as did Garner before a free throw by Troy Joseph and a dunk by Gerrell Martin closed out the run. When the smoke cleared LIU Brooklyn was holding a 32-11 lead.
The Blackbirds went off at the half up 49-29 and Wagner never really threatened the rest of the game, not getting any closer than 11 points.
"I had a feeling we were going to get them from the jump," Garner said. "We hit them early and punched them hard and we didn't let up. And we got great contributions from the bench, too."
The trio of Hucks (14 points), Reed (13) and Joseph (12) combined for a 39-point night from the Blackbirds bench. In all the Blackbirds had six players score in double figures.
"It was wild," LIU Brooklyn coach Jack Perri said. "Obviously we played a tremendous first half and we defended much better in this game."
It was the type of game expected from the two-time defending champions, who, thanks to Mount St. Mary's 69-60 upset victory of top-seeded Robert Morris, will now host the NEC title game for the third year in a row. Tipoff is 7 p.m. Tuesday night at the WRAC.
Neither Olasewere nor Garner would admit to thinking about the historical component they will be playing for vs. Mount St. Mary's, but Perri knows it's on their minds.
"They know we can accomplish something special here, something that's never been done before, that they can be the best team ever," Perri said. "They're not stupid. They know what's at stake."
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