LIU Comes From Behind to Upset Visiting Saint Francis, PA 66-60

Story by Brandon Glogau

On Saturday the LIU men’s basketball team, behind freshman forward Nura Zanna’s 15 points and 9 rebounds, captured a 66-60 win at the Steinberg Wellness Center over visiting Saint Francis, PA. The Blackbirds’ second straight come from behind win in Northeast Conference (NEC) play evens their conference record at 6-6 (10-13 overall) and puts them solidly in the NEC playoff picture with six conference games remaining.

After opening up the game with a quick basket, LIU went ice cold as Saint Francis went on a 9-2 run. The Blackbirds trailed the Red Flash by as many as 15 points in the half and went into intermission trailing by 12. LIU head coach Jack Perri’s squad has lately come out strong in the second half, scoring 48 points last Thursday to erase a three-point deficit in a 72-65 win over Robert Morris.

With 9:38 left to play on Saturday, senior shooting guard Gerrell Martin hit a three-point bomb to pull LIU even at 47. A Zanna layup with four minutes later gave the Blackbirds a 53-52 lead—their first since the game’s opening basket. With 2 minutes left and LIU clinging to a 4 point advantage, clutch free throws by freshman Elvar Fridriksson secured the Blackbirds‘ impressive victory.

Zanna’s 15 points led LIU, followed by 14 points from Fridriksson and 10 from senior Landon Atterberry. The Blackbirds out rebounded the Red Flash 38-33 and committed fewer turnovers (10-7), thanks to 5 Blackbird thefts.

LIU won by holding Saint Francis senior Earl Brown —leading the NEC in field goal percentage—to just 12 points, three below his average. Red Flash senior Dominique Major chipped in 12 points, followed by 9 from junior Ben- Meunier Millaud. With the loss Saint Francis, PA falls to 13-10 overall and 7-5 in NEC play.

With the regular season coming to a close the Northeast Conference is heating up. St. Francis Brooklyn (15-9-10-2) sits alone at the top of the NEC as Saturday’s 66-51 win over Wagner, the Terriers fourth straight, clinches a NEC tournament berth. Both Robert Morris (12-12) and Bryant (11-12) are tied for second with identical 8-4 conference records. Saint Francis, PA and Mount St. Mary’s (11-12; 7-5 NEC) are tied for fourth. LIU’s win moves the Blackbirds into a tie for sixth place with Wagner (8-15; 6-6 NEC) while an impressive 84-75 overtime win over Bryant puts Sacred Heart (11-14; 5-7 NEC) in the conference’s eight and final playoff spot.

All NEC squads will be in action on Thursday. LIU takes to the road for a game Robert Morris, while Saint Francis, PA will host Central Connecticut State. Bryant heads to New Jersey to play Fairleigh Dickinson University while Wagner will visit the Pope Center in Brooklyn Heights for a home and home rematch with St. Francis Brooklyn.

PHOTO CAPTION: LIU’s Nura Zanna soars over two Saint Francis, PA defenders for a basket.
PHOTO CREDIT: Bob Dea

Brandon Glogau is a sports reporter for The Seawanhaka, LIU Brooklyn’s school newspaper. At East Meadow High School in Long Island, Glogau was the girls/boys varsity basketball announcer as well as a sports reporter for the school newspaper.