LIU has hopes of making NCAA Tournament

With a 10-game winning streak, the Northeast Conference regular season title already locked up and an NIT berth secured, you'd think the Long Island University men's basketball team would have the keys to the city.

But it's tough to make waves these days when you play ball in the same town as the Knicks and resurgent St. John's.

LIU, which capped its regular season with an 86-72 win against Central Connecticut State yesterday, hasn't garnered the exposure or accolades of its Big East neighbors.

But the lack of headlines hasn't mattered to the legion of fans that have descended on the Wellness, Recreation and Athletic Center in downtown Brooklyn this season or the roster full of dedicated players who have led the Blackbirds.

The only thing that matters to them is the winning.

"I knew a lot of people didn't know about LIU when I first got here," Blackbirds sophomore forward Julian Boyd said. "We're still under the radar, but hopefully we can make the NCAA Tournament and make some noise there."

Boyd, who missed all of last season with a heart condition, is especially pleased with the team's play. "I didn't want to be on the sidelines this year," said Boyd, who was diagnosed with an enlarged heart. "I was anxious to get back on the court with these guys."

This isn't the first time LIU (24-5) has made a run. The Blackbirds made the NCAA Tournament in 1997 and made the NIT the following season.

But unlike the 1996-97 team, which fell to Villanova, 91-81, in the first round, this year's version hasn't been about one player. Those Blackbirds were led by the dynamic Charles Jones, who led the nation in scoring.

This year's squad is all about spreading the court and finding the open man.

"We're so balanced," ninth-year LIU coach Jim Ferry said. "If one guy has a bad night or two guys have a bad night, there's always the next man up."

Four players are scoring in double figures and a fifth is just under that for LIU (82.6 points per game), which was eighth in the nation in scoring through Thursday's 95-84 win over Bryant.

More important than the numbers is how the program has progressed under Ferry, an Elmont native and Valley Stream North High School grad who also coached three seasons at Adelphi.

This is the third time in four seasons that LIU, which will host an NEC tournament quarterfinal game on Thursday, has finished .500 or better, and the 24 victories are the most wins the program has produced since the 1941-42 season (25-2).

And this isn't your typical story about a mid-major team that builds itself up for one big tournament run. LIU has three sophomores in its starting lineup including Boyd, and several underclassmen that play key roles off the bench.

"That's what the goal is," said Ferry. "To build the program to a level where it can stay as one of the top teams in our conference."

LIU's youth has been buoyed by the presence of seniors David Hicks and Kyle Johnson.

"This is a big season for me and Kyle," said Hicks. "We've been through the ups and downs of this program and it feels good to know the hard work has paid off . . . And we know we're leaving the program in good hands."

Added Johnson: "Coming from where we were four years ago, when we were picked last in the NEC, it feels really good to be on top of the league."