LIU Brooklyn 71, Lafayette 60
NEW YORK -- LIU Brooklyn won its second straight game after an 0-4 start and extended its home-court winning streak to 29 with a 71-60 victory over Lafayette on Saturday in the Wellness Center.
The Blackbirds (2-4) overcame a three-point halftime deficit and avenged a 98-94 loss to the Leopards (2-7) on Nov. 12.
Julian Boyd led LIU Brooklyn with 20 points and 10 rebounds. He scored six straight points during a second-half run to help the Blackbirds extend their lead after the Leopards had closed to 49-48.
Jamal Olasewere and Jason Brickman also had double-doubles for LIU Brooklyn. Olasewere scored 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Brickman finished with 12 points and 10 assists.
Dan Trist had 15 points and five rebounds for Lafayette and Levi Giese scored 14 points. The Leopards were hurt by 21-of-55 shooting from the field.
The Blackbirds overcame 16 turnovers with a 40-27 rebounding advantage and by making 17 of 21 free throws.
LIU Brooklyn came out firing in the second half and scored the first 10 points to take a 35-28 lead. Brickman hit a 3-pointer with the first shot of the half to get the Blackbirds started.
Lafayette led by as many as nine points, 26-17, in the first half but managed just two points in the final 6:05 and LIU Brooklyn closed to 28-25 at halftime.
Giese led Lafayette in the opening half with nine points, making 2 of 4 3-point shots, and two blocked shots. The Leopards hit 5 of 7 from 3-point range but finished 6 of 19 for the game.
C.J. Garner scored seven points and Olasewere had six points, seven rebounds and four steals to pace LIU Brooklyn in the first half.
LIU Brooklyn has a week off before returning to the court next Saturday for a home game against Hofstra. Lafayette goes home to face St. Francis (Pa.) on Tuesday night.
