Men's Basketball Fells Bloomfield, 71-62
Box Score
BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (December 16, 2012) – Despite struggling with turnovers and missed chances at the free throw line, the LIU Post men's basketball team was able to pull out a 71-62 victory over Bloomfield College on Sunday afternoon, winning their fifth straight contest in the process.
The Pioneers improve to 5-3 on the season while Bloomfield slips to .500 at 5-5.
The Pioneers got off to a quick start, jumping out to an 11-0 lead. Two quick threes by Bloomfield got the Deacons on the board, but the Pioneers extended their lead to 20-8 with 13:21 to play. But the Deacons outscored the hosts by an 18-8 margin over the next seven minutes to cut the lead to a mere two points, 28-26, after a three-point play by Erik Sanders. However, LIU Post didn't relinquish the lead as they outscored Bloomfield by a 12-4 margin to close out the half with a ten-point lead, 40-30.
The Deacons came out of the half and challenged the Pioneer lead several times, but the hosts kept them at arms' length until the 11:44 mark, as Bloomfield tied the game at 48-48 on Bobby Brakcett's jumper, and took their first lead of the afternoon on his ensuing free throw to complete the traditional three-point play. But the Pioneers quickly righted the ship as senior
Tobin Carberry (Hamden, Conn.) sunk a three, giving the Pioneers back the lead.
LIU Post maintained the lead, albeit a slim one at times, but in the last few minutes they were finally able to push out to a comfortable cushion, leading by nine with 2:03 left (67-58) and holding on for the nine-point margin of victory.
The Pioneers were led by double-doubles by Carberry and junior forward
Vaughn Allen (Mount Vernon, N.Y.), as Carberry scored a team-high 20 points and pulled down 10 boards, and Allen scored 19 and grabbed 10 rebounds. Senior guard
Billy Butler (Elmont, N.Y.) added 15 points, and sophomore
Tyuan Williams (Newark, N.J.) grabbed 10 rebounds.
The Pioneers shot well from the floor in the first half, making 18-36 (50%) but the second half saw just a 9-27 performance (33.3%), finishing at 42% for the game. A paltry 13-27 performance from the charity stripe hurt their efforts, as did 18 turnover (13 assists), but they were able to outrebound a tough Bloomfield squad by a 50-49 margin and force 17 BC turnovers in the process.
The Pioneers are now off until after Christmas, hosting Chestnut Hill on Dec. 29 at 5 p.m.