GETTING INSIDE

  If you want to know how LIU was doing through the early part of its schedule, just check the home and away records.

  The Blackbirds, who lost sophomore forward Julian Boyd to a heart problem before the season started, were 4-0 at home and 0-5 on the road.

  Included in that home record are a pair of conference victories, over league newcomer Bryant and Central Connecticut.

  The other home wins were over Navy and Saint Peter’s, while LIU had lost at St. John’s, Army, Seton Hall, Iona and Lafayette, those last two creating the second two-game losing streak of the season, this one to be carried into the Dec. 19 home game against Manhattan.

  Boyd, a monster as a sixth man last year, when he was Northeast Conference Newcomer of the Year, was diagnosed with the heart problem that dealt a huge blow to his future and the immediate future of this program.

  That said, a 2-0 start to the league schedule is a nice way for Jim Ferry’s team to get things underway.

NOTES, QUOTES

  —LIU opened its conference schedule with home wins over Northeast Conference newcomer Bryant and Central Connecticut. The Blackbirds have their next two league games at home, too, with Robert Morris and Saint Francis (Pa.) coming in.

  —G Jaytornah Wisseh was second in the NEC in minutes played, third in scoring and assists, seventh in assist/turnover ratio and eighth in free-throw percentage. He was averaging 6.7 assists per game over the last three games.

  —A 4-0 home start for the Blackbirds shouldn’t come as a shock. They lost only three times at home last season, one of those coming in the NEC tournament against Quinnipiac.

   KEY EARLY-SEASON CONFERENCE GAME: vs. Robert Morris, Jan. 7—Already 2-0 in conference play, the Blackbirds get league perennial RMU in Brooklyn in a big early league game.

   LAST YEAR’S CONFERENCE RECORD: 12-6, tied for second place in the NEC.

   BY THE NUMBERS: 10.6/6.4 – Julian Boyd’s scoring/rebounding stats coming off the bench as a freshman for LIU last year. He was lost for at least this season with a heart problem.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

   WHAT WE LEARNED IN NOVEMBER: LIU opened the season with road losses at St. John’s and Army and rallied to finish November with a 2-1 record, thanks to home wins over Navy and Saint Peter’s.

   DECEMBER AT A GLANCE: The Blackbirds opened their Northeast Conference schedule with home wins over Bryant and Central Connecticut but then lost at Iona and Lafayette. They host Manhattan Dec. 19 and then visit the Chattanooga Tournament, where they face the home team and either Eastern Kentucky or Morgan State.

   PLAYER ROTATION: Usual starters—F Kenny Onyechi, F Jamal Oslaware, G Jaytornah Wisseh; G David Hicks, G Kyle Johnson. Key subs—F Arnold Mayorga, G Michael Culpo.

   ROSTER REPORT:

  —Freshman F Kenny Onyechi was second in the Northeast Conference in blocked shots, tied for third in offensive rebounds and fifth in field-goal percentage.

  —G Kyle Johnson was tied for eighth in the league in rebounding and was eighth in defensive boards.

  —G Jaytornah Wisseh had 18 points and eight assists in the loss at Lafayette.

  —F Jamal Olsaware had 27 turnovers to go with six assists.