Brooklyn, N.Y. (January 6, 2022)—Playing for the first time in 19 days, the Mount St. Mary's men's basketball team fell at LIU, 74-57, in Northeast Conference action on Thursday night at the Wellness Center.  Mezie Offurum led the Mount with 12 points while Nana Opoku added 10 points and seven rebounds in the game.

LIU's tandem of Ty Flowers and Eral Penn combined for 43 points to lead the Sharks (4-9, 1-2 NEC) to the victory.  Flowers led the way with 23 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals while Penn added 20 points on 9-of-15 shooting. 

The Mountaineers (4-9, 0-3 NEC) started strong as four different players scored in the opening four minutes for an early 8-3 lead.  Jalen Benjamin converted a drive the bucket to start the scoring in the game with Offurum and Opoku adding back-to-back baskets for a 6-0 lead.  After a Penn three-pointer, Malik Jefferson converted a hook shot in the paint to put the Mount up by five early in the contest.

The Mount led 10-7 before LIU connected on four consecutive three-point baskets to kick-start a 16-to-0 run that allowed the Sharks to take control of the game.  Flowers drained three triples during the scoring streak.  The Sharks were able to maintain the lead, taking a 36-21 lead at the break.  LIU held the Mount to 9-of-24 shooting (37.5 percent) in the half while forcing nine turnovers.

After Offurum opened the second half with a basket, LIU scored the next seven points to stretch the lead to 43-23 with 17:53 left in the game.  The Mount pulled within 15 points, 56-41, after a Deandre Thomas three-pointer with just under nine minutes left, but LIU answered with the next five points and led comfortably the rest of the way.

Offurum led the Mount with 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting while adding five rebounds.  Opoku had 10 points, seven boards and a pair of blocks for the Mount with Thomas, Benjamin and Josh Reaves each scoring eight in the loss.  Benjamin, who leads the NEC in assists, finished the contest with six helpers while adding five boards.

Flowers went 9-of-16 from the field and 4-of-10 from beyond the arc for his 23-point effort.  Penn had 20 points and six boards with Tre Wood also in double figures with 12 points.

Turnovers plagued the Mount throughout the game as the Sharks scored 27 points off 20 Mount miscues.  The Mount finished 23-of-54 (.427) from the field and 7-of-21 (.333) from three-point range.  LIU shot 45.7 percent (32-of-70) overall and 31.0 percent (9-of-29) from beyond the arc.  LIU held a 39-to-32 edge on the boards while scoring 17 second-chance points off 13 offensive boards.

The Mount is back in action on Saturday, January 8, with a 4:00 p.m. contest at St. Francis Brooklyn.