College Beat: Thrice would be nice for reigning NEC champion LIU-Brooklyn
Despite a trying, and at times frustrating, regular season, “3” remains the magic number for LIU-Brooklyn’s men’s basketball team.
The two-time defending Northeast Conference Tournament champions will begin their quest to capture an unprecedented third consecutive league title Wednesday night at Downtown’s Wellness, Recreation and Athletic Center against Quinnipiac after knocking off the Bobcats, 96-90, on Saturday behind Herculian Senior Day performances by star forward Jamal Olasewere and shooting guard C.J. Garner.
First-year coach Jack Perri mandated prior to the campaign that the Blackbirds’ lone quest this season was to become the first-ever NEC champion to “three-peat”.
But that was before former coach Jim Ferry’s longtime assistant knew he’d be missing Olasewere and Garner for the Blackbirds’ first two NEC contests due to a school-imposed suspension and would lose reigning NEC Player of the Year Julian Boyd to a season-ending knee injury before conference play began.