SHU to Host LIU on Saturday; Honor 1986 National Title Team
2/5/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Sacred Heart (7-15, 6-5 NEC) vs. LIU Brooklyn (11-11, 5-6 NEC)
Saturday, February 6, 2016 - 3:30 pm - William H. Pitt Center (2,067) - Fairfield, Conn.
The Sacred Heart men's basketball team looks to complete its season-long three-game homestand a perfect 3-0 when LIU Brooklyn visits the William H. Pitt Center for a 3:30 pm tip on Saturday. The two teams' second meeting in just a span of 11 days will be a part of a doubleheader with the SHU women, who take on St. Francis Brooklyn at 1 pm.
Alumni Day... Sacred Heart is proud to welcome back the 1986 Division II National Championship team as part of Alumni Day. The only National Championship team in the history of the school will be honored at halftime.
Scouting LIU Brooklyn... LIU Brooklyn has won two of three, most recently beating first place Mount St. Mary's 77-74 on Thursday, to move into a tie for sixth place in the NEC at 5-6. One of just two teams in the in the league to post a winning record in non-conference play, 6-5, the Blackbirds are now and even 11-11 overall. Led by its offense, LIU is second in the NEC scoring 74.3 points per game and fourth in field goal percentage shooting 41.1 percent. The Blackbirds are atop the league with a 72.3 free throw percentage and second in assists and rebounds, averaging 13.1 and 37.3, respectively. Jerome Frink and Martin Hermannsson lead the offense as Frink is third in the NEC in both scoring in rebounding, averaging a near double double of 17.0 points and 9.0 caroms, while Hermannsson is four in scoring and assists, averaging 15.2 points and 4.6 helpers. Frink is also top eight in the league in field goal percentage and blocks, steals and minutes per game, while Hermannsson is top four in free throw percentage, three point percentage, steals per game, assist to turnover ratio, and minutes per game. Aakim Santil leads the Blackbirds and is third in the NEC with an average of 4.6 assists, while also ranking is also top ten in scoring, free throw percentage, steals per game and assist to turnover ratio. Joel Hernandez chips in with 11.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.
Series History... LIU Brooklyn's 92-84 win less than two weeks ago on January 27 gave the Blackbirds double the wins than Sacred Heart in the all-time series, which dates back to 1997 when SHU was still a Division II member, 20-10. That being said, with a victory in the 2015 regular season finale, SHU deadlocked the series in the William H. Pitt Center, 7-7. In Brooklyn, it has been all LIU as the Blackbirds have now won seven straight and 12 of 15 overall. LIU Brooklyn was also victorious the only time the two teams played in the postseason in the 2012 Northeast Conference quarterfinals.
Career Numbers vs. LIU Brooklyn...
NAME (GP-GS) PPG RPG APG MPG
Tevin Falzon (5-3) 6.6 8.8 0.8 27.8
Cane Broome (3-2) 25.0 2.7 1.7 36.7
Jordan Allen (3-1) 8.7 6.3 1.3 24.0
Chris Robinson (2-0) 3.5 3.0 2.0 16.0
Matej Buovac (1-1) 3.0 3.0 2.0 30.0
Sean Hoehn (1-1) 19.0 6.0 2.0 29.0
Eyimfoe Edukugho (1-1) 5.0 2.0 - 15.0
Filip Nowicki (1-0) 4.0 2.0 - 9.0
Jermaine Ukaegbu 2.0 - - 1.0
-Both Broome and Hoehn finished with new career-highs in points in the first meeting this year, scoring 38 and 19, respectively. Broome made a career-high six three pointers, while Hoehn pulled down a career-high six rebounds
-Allen was one rebound shy of his first double double of the season on January 27, recording ten points and nine rebounds, eight of which were offensive
-Robinson's four assists on January 27 were a new career best
The Last Two NEC Months... Since the beginning of February 2015, SHU is now in a three-way tie for the best NEC regular season record with Mount St. Mary's and St. Francis Brooklyn at 12-7.
Over the Last Seven... Sacred Heart's 5-2 record over its last six games is tied for the best in the conference with first place Fairleigh Dickinson.
Sweeping a Homestand... The last time Sacred Heart went unbeaten on a homestand that was at least three games long was December of 2006.
Feeling Good in February... With the victory over St. Francis Brooklyn on Thursday, Sacred Heart has now gone 8-2 in its last ten February games dating back to the 2013-14 season.
Home Sweet Home...After losing its first three home games of the season, SHU has now won its last three. With the 3-3 start in the William H. Pitt Center so far this season, the Pioneers are 7-3 in their last ten on Coach Bike Court, as they entered 2015-16 on a four-game home winning streak.
One vs. Two... Since conference play began, Cane Broome and Jerome Frink of LIU are the two highest scorers in the league, averaging 23.9 and 17.3 points, respectively.
