The Red Flash men’s basketball team defeated LIU, 72-66, to earn its first NEC victory of the season on Jan. 19.
The game started off with individual players shining on both sides. SFU’s Bobby Rosenberger knocked down three 3-point field goals in the first half. For LIU, the backcourt duo of Tana Kopa and Tai Strickland combined for 13 of the Sharks’ first 15 points.
Rosenberger also made five 2-point shots on the night, all on strong drives to the basket.
“Whenever you hit those 3-pointers early in the game, it makes it easier to drive to the hoop,” said the freshman from Quakertown, Pennsylvania.
Rosenberger finished the night with a game and career-high 21 points. Kopa and Strickland scored 20 and 17, respectively.
The game see-sawed back and forth in the first half, with neither team able to take control of the game. SFU led, 31-27, at the break.
The second half saw the first big run of the game, with Saint Francis going on a 9-0 stretch to go up 12 points. It was SFU’s largest lead of the game and was capped off by a Cam Gregory 3-pointer assisted by Rosenberger.
LIU responded, however, with a 14-6 run to keep the Sharks in the game.
“When they were making their run, I was about to call a timeout,” said SFU head coach Rob Krimmel. “Then I saw Cam grab the guys and pull them in.
“When players make those (leadership) efforts, that makes my job a lot easier.”
The leadership of the sophomore point guard paid off as Saint Francis re-established control over the last five and a half minutes of the game, outscoring LIU 13-10 to snap a 4-game losing streak.
Gregory scored 18 points for the Red Flash (6-13, 1-5 NEC) in the win. Freshman post player Eli Wilborn scored 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds. He had three dunks in the game, including a monster slam in the first half that was featured on ESPN’s Top 10 Plays of the Day last Saturday.
Wilborn’s performance came on his 20th birthday.
