Box score
NEWARK, NJ—Senior guard David Hicks scored 16 of his team-high 20 points in the second half for Long Island University, leading the visiting Blackbirds in a 55-point second half en route to an 89-82 win over NJIT Tuesday night in the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher Athletic Center.
LIU (8-4) trailed at the half, 35-34, after shooting 11-for-30 from the field in the opening 20 minutes.
But the Blackbirds, who came in averaging better than 80 points per game, scored 55 points over the final 20 minutes Tuesday, shooting over 68 percent from the field (13-19) and adding 23 points at the foul line on 32 second-half free throw attempts.
Hicks, who had made five three-point baskets in his team's first 11 games, hit four-of-seven from distance against NJIT, with all four coming in the big second half.
The Blackbirds had five double-figure scorers in the game and three double-figure scorers in the second half alone.
In addition to Hicks getting 16 of his 20 points after the break, sophomore Jamal Olasewere scored 13 of his 16 total points in the second half and Julian Boyd scored all 11 of his points after the intermission.
The other double-figure scorers for LIU were junior CJ Garner (14 points—10 at the foul line) and freshman Jason Brickman (15 points, all on 5-for-6 three-point shooting. Brickman added a game-best 7 assists and Garner chipped in 6 assists, as the visitors recorded assists on 19 of their 24 baskets, an excellent rate. Garner also recorded a game-high 5 steals.
NJIT (2-8) lost despite a game-high 21 points for junior Isaiah Wilkerson, who was followed by sophomore Chris Flores, with a season-high 18 points and freshman Lamar Kearse, who netted 12 points off the bench.
Wilkerson's 21 points matched his season high, which he also did in the opener against Manhattan back on November 13.
That game, a 75-70 Manhattan win, also featured a huge disparity in scoring from the foul line. Manhattan, which beat NJIT by 5 points overall, scored 21 more than the Highlanders at the foul line. LIU, which won Tuesday by 7 points, also scored 21 more than NJIT at the line. The Highlanders have been outscored at the foul line in all eight of their games against Division I opponents, four times by 10 points, or more.
Junior center Ryan Regis pulled down 7 rebounds to pace the Highlanders, who also got 9 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists out of Jheryl Wilson. Regis was one shy of his career rebounding high and Wilson's 6 assists were one off his career standard.
NJIT, which had not scored more than 70 against a Division I opponent before getting 82 against Long Island, jumped to its biggest lead early, taking a 14-6 advantage after Wilkerson hit on a three six minutes into the game.
LIU answered with 10 points of its own, setting the tone for a first half that saw five ties and four lead changes. When it was over, NJIT held a 35-34 edge, paced by 10 points from Wilkerson, while Brickman's 8 points led LIU.
There were seven ties and 13 lead changes in the game, but the last lead change came with 14:51 remaining.
Olasewere made a pair of free throws for LIU, breaking a 50-50 tie and sparking an 11-3 run for the Blackbirds over the next 3:13. Olasewere scored six in the run that also included a three-point bucket by Brickman, as LIU extended its lead to 61-53 with 11:38 left.
NJIT did not get closer than five points of the lead the rest of the way and the Blackbirds led by 13 twice, the latest at the 1:23 mark on a pair of Garner free throws.
The next opponent for the Highlanders will be LIU's biggest rival, St. Francis, which, like the Blackbirds, is located in Brooklyn and competes as a member of the Northeast Conference. NJIT will visit the Terriers on Thursday night, with tipoff set for 7 pm in the final game of the 2010 calendar year.
St. Francis, which last played on December 21 against Davidson in the Holiday Festival at Madison Square Garden, owns a 6-5 record. The Terriers had won six of seven before falling to Northwestern and then Davidson on back-to-back nights at the Garden.
