Men's Basketball Downed by Minnesota, 70-54

(boxscore)

11/17/05 -- Senior guards James Williams (DeSoto, Texas) and Aubin Scott (Hempstead, N.Y.) each had 16 points but the Long Island University men’s basketball team could not overcome a poor shooting night as it fell 70-54 to Minnesota at Williams Arena on Friday night.

Lawrence McKenzie led the Golden Gophers with 24 points, including a 5-for-8 showing from behind the three-point arc. Dan Coleman also contributed 23 points and seven rebounds for Minnesota.

The Blackbirds came out hot to start the game as they jumped out to a quick 12-7 lead with 14:47 remaining. Williams had six of LIU’s points in the run.

Long Island would remain ahead until a three-pointer by McKenzie put the Gophers up by three, 17-14, with 10:40 left in the half. Minnesota would extend its lead to as many as 11 in the first stanza but a pesky defense and rebounding would keep the Blackbirds close. A lay-in by Kellen Allen (Mansfield, Texas) would cut the Gophers lead to six, 35-29, with just under a minute left in the half. LIU outrebounded its Big Ten opponent, 44-39, and had a 20-17 edge in free throw attempts.

Down by eight coming out of the locker room, two quick fast-break layups by Scott trimmed the Blackbirds’ margin to four, 37-33. But a quick 8-0 run by the Golden Gophers would extend their lead to 47-35. Long Island would not get closer than nine the rest of the way.

Scott and Allen also had seven rebounds each. Minnesota center Spencer Tollackson had a game-high 10 boards in only 18 minutes of play.

The Blackbirds continue their season at cross-town rival Columbia on Tuesday, November 21 at 7:00 p.m.