Men’s Basketball Nets First Win of the Season

Christian Arnold
Assistant Sports Editor

The LIU Post men’s basketball team snapped its three-game losing streak on Sunday, defeating the Merrimack Warriors 74-72. Senior guard Tobin Carberry led the Pioneers with 21 points, while sophomore forward Tyuan Williams put up 10 points of his own and shot 4-6 from the floor. Off the bench, freshman forward Dillon Burns had 17 points to help the Pioneers earn its first victory of the year.

The Pioneers played from behind for the entire game, not gaining the lead until the final moments. The Warriors went on a 12-2 run through the first five minutes of the game. It was not until there was six minutes and 33 seconds left in the first half that the Pioneers would tie the game at 25 off a layup inside the paint by junior forward Vaughn Allen. At the end of the half, the Warriors led 44-34.

The second half would start off in a similar manner as the previous one. Merrimack continued to keep the Pioneers at bay, but could never pull away by more than 10 points.

Down 72-62 with five minutes left in the game, the Pioneers began its comeback. Within less than a minute, the team managed to cut the Warriors lead to five off baskets from Burns, Carberry, and Willams. Burns was then fouled by Merrimack, making one of the two free throw shots to cut the lead to just four.
With two and a half minutes left in the game Carberry was fouled by Warriors’ freshman guard JT Strickland and was sent to the foul line. He made both shots and made it a two-point game. With a minute left in the game, Pioneers’ freshman guard Emile Blackman made a layup to tie the game at 72.

Following an empty trip for the Warriors on offense, the Pioneers got the ball back and Carberry went to the free-throw line with six seconds left. Carberry made both shots and gave the Pioneers its first lead of the game, 74-72. The Warriors had one final, last-ditch effort, but could not deliver and the Pioneers won 74-72 as a result.

This win comes after the Pioneers dropped the first three games of the year to Franklin Pierce University, Southern New Hampshire University and Post University, all of whom are non-conference opponents.

The Pioneers play its first ECC matchup at home on Saturday, December 1, at 3 p.m. against the Bridgeport Purple Knights. Tune into 88.1 FM or WCWP.org for live coverage of the game.