The pecking order was clear in last night’s battle of the birds.
Morehead State and LIU-Brooklyn battled to the wire in the first college basketball game to be played at the Barclays Center, with the Eagles barely outlasting the hometown Blackbirds, 77-74.
“It was kind of nervous [at the end] but as a family, as a team, we had to come together and get the job done,” Morehead State senior guard Devon Atkinson said.
A late flurry brought LIU-Brooklyn within one point with just over six seconds left in the game before Morehead State’s Bakari Turner converted a one-and-one to extend the lead to three. C.J. Garner missed a last-second 3-point try that would have tied the game for the Blackbirds.
LIU-Brooklyn fell behind quickly in the second half when Morehead went on an 11-0 run. Senior forward Julian Boyd (19 points) finally hit a jumper to bring the Blackbirds back into the game.
LIU-Brooklyn forward Jamal Olasewere led all scorers with 26 points.
Apart from Boyd and Olasewere, the Blackbirds (0-1) had trouble keeping up with the fast-paced Eagles (1-0).
“I think [we had] too many turnovers,” LIU-Brooklyn guard Jason Brickman said. “Not taking care of the ball hurt us in the second half.”
The Blackbirds could not stop forward Milton Chavis (24 points) or Atkinson (13 points).
LIU-Brooklyn did manage to keep Morehead’s top returning scorer, junior forward Drew Kelly, in check. Kelly scored just two points after sitting most of the first half after picking up three fouls, but his teammates picked him up.
“When I settled down, shots started falling,” Chavis said. “We’re all capable of doing different things and tonight just wasn’t Drew’s night. We just came to play and get the job done.
LIU-Brooklyn almost suffered a greater loss when Boyd, who has a heart disease called non-compaction cardiomyopathy, left with 4:38 left in the game and didn’t return.
“He cramped up,” LIU-Brooklyn coach Jack Perri said. “It’s something that’s happened in the past, that’s all it was. Because of the heart issue that he’s had in the past we’ve always said if he cramps, he’s done.”
For the Blackbirds, who are coming off two straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament, this was not the start they envisioned.
“We were a little rusty,” Perri said. “Our expectations are to have a great year and to compete for a championship.”