On Wednesday, February 11, the LIU Post men’s basketball team decimated Mercy College 85-57, in an East Coast Conference tilt at the Pratt Recreation Center in Brookville, New York.
After starting the contest on an impressive 24-8 run, the Pioneers (12-10) never looked back. The hosts shot the ball efficiently all night long, as they finished 49.2 percent (29-of-59) from the field and 40.0 percent (10-of-25) from three-point range. On the other hand, the Mavericks (7-14) couldn’t find their footing from the get go as the Pioneers kept the pedal to the metal.
Sophomore forward Greg Dotson collected 18 points, seven rebounds, five blocks and two steals. Senior guard P.J. Torres knocked down 16 points in 19 minutes of action off the bench. Junior guard Dillon Burns racked up 11 points and dished out six assists. Freshman guard Aary Bibens pitched in with a 10-point outing. Junior guard Chris Orozco tallied nine points, five boards and a pair of steals.
The Pioneers returned to the floor on Saturday, February 14, and fell short to St. Thomas Aquinas by a final score of 68-64 in an East Coast Conference clash at Aquinas Hall.
Trailing 36-30 at the intermission, the Pioneers (12-11) jumped out on a 13-3 burst in the opening five minutes of the second half to give the visitor a slim 43-39 advantage. Junior guard Dillon Burns buried a three to tie the game during the run, which shifted the momentum in favor of the Pioneers.
From there on, the two teams traded buckets, until the Spartans (16-9) tied the game at 53 apiece. Over the next four minutes, the hosts managed to grab a slight edge. Although the Pioneers hung around and kept the game tight, the Mavericks iced it thanks to a pair of free throws via freshman guard Shaquille McFarlane at the six-second mark.
Sophomore forward Greg Dotson and senior forward Tyaun Williams each recorded a team-high 15 points and crashed the glass for eight rebounds in the defeat. Burns finished with 14 points, three assists and two steals. Junior guard Chris Orozco tacked on five points, five boards and two assists. Sophomore guard Jared Hall made a contribution of five points and three rebounds. Senior guard P.J. Torres had another solid showing with five points, five assists and three boards.
Head LIU Post men’s basketball coach Erik Smiles and the Pioneers look to bounce back when the return to action on Wednesday, Feb. 18, in Rockville Centre against Molloy College. The opening tip is set for 7:30 p.m.
This article was originally published in the Pioneer, the award-winning student newspaper of LIU Post, www.liupostpioneer.com, and is republished here by Blank Slate Media with the permission of the Pioneer.
