BROOKLYN BESTED: LIU Brooklyn’s Jason Brickman is stalled by Rayshawn Goins. (Getty Images)
BROOKLYN BESTED: Jamal Olasewere walks off the court during the second half of last night’s 68-55 loss to James Madison in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. (Getty Images)
DAYTON, Ohio — It was different from 2011 and different from 2012. LIU Brooklyn talked beforehand about facing a “like opponent” in its NCAA Tournament opener this year.
Not a No. 2 seed, like North Carolina in 2011. Not a No. 1 seed, like Michigan State in 2012.
Instead, the Blackbirds drew James Madison, a fellow No. 16 seed, in the first round.
But the local boys couldn’t make good on the chance to secure the school’s first-ever NCAA tourney win. The Blackbirds fell in their tournament opener for the third straight season, losing to James Madison 68-55 last night at University of Dayton Arena in the First Four.
LIU is now 0-6 in the Dance — and 0-3 with its superb core of Jamal Olasewere, C.J. Garner and Jason Brickman. Olasewere, Garner and two other starters are graduating. This was their last shot.
“It sucks. What can we do?” said Olasewere, the Northeast Conference Player of the Year, after putting up a team-high 20 points and 10 rebounds. “I felt we fought hard. Tonight they were the better team, I guess.”
The Blackbirds’ high-scoring offense was a complete mess, delivering its worst performance of the season. LIU entered fifth in the nation with 79.5 points, and Tuesday coach Jack Perri said, “We’re trying to get the game in the 80s.”
They didn’t even get into the 56s. LIU’s 55 points was a season low, as the Blackbirds shot a miserable 35.6 percent and were 3-for-16 from 3-point range (0-for-7 in the second half). James Madison also blocked 10 shots.
“Plain and simple, they really bothered our shots,” Perri said.
The question now is whether LIU Brooklyn’s run is finished after three straight NEC championships. Olasewere, Garner and starters Brandon Thompson and Kenny Onyechi are seniors. Perri may get back last season’s NEC Player of the Year, senior Julian Boyd, who will apply for a medical redshirt after he missed most of the season with a torn ACL. That’s still an “if.”
“This team won’t miss a beat,” Olasewere said.
James Madison’s leading scorer and rebounder, Rayshawn Goins, was suspended for the first half after reportedly being arrested for disorderly conduct and obstruction of justice. But Perri thought his team did not match up well with the Goins-less Dukes lineup.
“I actually thought that would have helped us if he did play,” Perri said.
The opening 16-plus minutes were a disaster for LIU. The Blackbirds struggled to score, failed to defend the perimeter and had Olasewere get into foul trouble. James Madison led 30-18 before LIU reeled off a 13-2 run in the final 3:33, highlighted by two Brickman 3-pointers. The Dukes’ halftime lead was just 32-31.
“We were fired up coming into that halftime,” Brickman said.
LIU grabbed a 40-39 edge with 15:02 left. James Madison answered with a 9-0 run and that was it. Logging 13 minutes in the second half, Goins scored just four points, but the 6-foot-6, 275-pounder was a rebounding beast. He grabbed eight boards, five on the offensive glass.
“His offensive rebounding and just his presence inside, he got them second chances,” Brickman said. “I think that hurt us.”
Though Olasewere scored and rebounded well, he committed five turnovers. Garner (16 points) shot just 6-for-15, affected by a sprained ankle in the first half.
“He wasn’t the same after that,” Perri said.
Will LIU Brooklyn be the same going forward? Olasewere and Garner in particular are massive losses.
“They’re special kids. They’re special players. And they will be remembered forever in our program,” Perri said. “They’re as good as they get.”