LIU Brooklyn downs Mount St. Mary's, wins NEC title
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}C.J. Garner poured in a game-high 31 points on 13-of-17 shooting to lead Long Island to a 91-70 rout of Mount St. Mary's in the Northeast Conference Championship game on Tuesday.
Jamal Olasewere added 15 points and 10 rebounds and Kenny Onyechi finished with 11 points and seven rebounds for the Blackbirds (20-13), who won their third straight NEC Championship.
Sam Prescott scored 21 points, Shivaughn Wiggins scored 11 and Rashad Whack and Julian Norfleet finished with 10 points apiece for the Mountaineers (18-14), who had won nine straight entering the contest.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}LIU, which led 35-31 at the break, exploded for a 19-8 run to go up 54-39 with just over 13 minutes left.
The Blackbird's continued to stay hot, and led 71-48 following Gerrell Martin's layup at the 7:56 mark.
Brandon Thompson's trey made it a 23-point game, but the Mount used a 14-6 swing to cut it to 82-66 with just over 2 1/2 minutes left.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}LIU never wavered though, as Olaswere threw down a 360-dunk before Garner found E.J. Redd for an alley-oop slam with 1:08 left to put an exclamation point on the win.
The Blackbirds shot a scorching 61.4 percent (35-for-57) from the field, including 67.4 percent (21-for-31) in the second half.
The Mountaineers led 22-16 following Kelvin Parker's jumper at the 12:10 mark of the first half, but the Blackbirds used a 9-3 run to tie the game at 25-25. Garner poured in six point on the run.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Prescott's layup with 4:52 left in the half put Mount. St. Mary's up 31-29, but LIU scored the final six points of the half and never looked back.
Game Notes
LIU became the first NEC team to win the conference tournament in three consecutive season in the 32-year history of the event ... LIU head coach Jack Perri was one of 10 finalists selected for the Joe. B Hall Award, presented nationally to the top first-year Division I coach. Mount St. Mary's head coach Jamion Christian also appeared on the list ... The Blackbirds hold a 26-23 edge in the all-time series ... Kristijan Krajina scored 12 points off the bench for the Mountaineers.