If you’re looking for a true March Madness underdog story, look no further than Brooklyn. On Tuesday night, Long Island University punched its ticket to the Big Dance, topping No. 3 seed Mercyhurst 79-70 in a thrilling Northeast Conference title matchup on their home floor. This victory marks LIU’s seventh NEC championship and officially hands them a No. 16 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
The Sharks wrapped up the season at 24-10 (15-3 in conference), earning a spot in the bracket for the first time since 2017-18. For fans keeping track, it’s also the program’s inaugural appearance since adopting the Sharks moniker and their eighth NCAA bid overall. Next up? A daunting showdown against the top-seeded Arizona Wildcats on Friday at Viejas Arena in San Diego.
Sharks Take Control in NEC Final
Mercyhurst came out swinging with an early 5-0 run, but the Sharks didn’t flinch. Redshirt senior Malachi Davis drained two early threes, and senior Greg Gordon chipped in a bucket to erase the deficit and steer LIU ahead.
Despite the Lakers’ best efforts to keep things close in the first half—tying the game multiple times—LIU held strong, taking a slim 42-40 advantage into halftime.
Things stayed tight as the second half kicked off, but the momentum shifted for good after grad student Jamal Fuller scored at the 14:01 mark. From there, LIU didn’t look back. Mason Porter-Brown’s deep shot with under two minutes left gave the Sharks enough cushion to seal the deal and claim the trophy.
Both Gordon and Davis poured in 24 points apiece, while Porter-Brown chipped in 14. Fuller put together a monster stat line with 10 points, a season-high 13 boards, and five assists—his second double-double this year.
This win secured the NEC regular-season and tournament titles for LIU in the same season for the fifth time, a feat previously achieved in 1984, 1997, 2011, and 2012.
Sharks Make Triumphant NCAA Return
After taking down Wagner in the semifinals, LIU had already earned the NEC’s automatic NCAA bid. Since Mercyhurst is still in the process of transitioning to Division I, they couldn’t take the spot—meaning LIU’s trip to the tournament was secured before the championship even tipped off.
Still, the Sharks weren’t satisfied with just qualifying—they wanted to win it all at home, and that’s exactly what they did.
It’s a milestone moment: LIU’s first tourney appearance since the athletic program merged its Brooklyn and Long Island campuses in 2019, and now they’re set to battle powerhouse Arizona in opening-round action on Friday in San Diego.
Coach Strickland Sparks a Turnaround
The mastermind behind all this? Head coach Rod Strickland. Over the past four years, Strickland has engineered an impressive rise, lifting LIU from the bottom rungs of the conference to national relevance—a rebuild that stands among the best this season.
Progress didn’t happen overnight. The Sharks endured rough 2022-23 and 2023-24 campaigns, falling short of the big stage last spring. Instead of letting those seasons define them, the team used their setbacks to fuel this season’s dramatic turnaround.
With Strickland’s steady guidance, LIU shook off past disappointments and forged a championship run that brought them back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since unification in 2019. It’s a testament to leadership and perseverance—and proof that hard work can turn heartbreak into a celebration.
With a league title, a trip to the NCAA, and a showdown against Arizona ahead, the Sharks have already put together a season they’ll remember for years to come.
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