WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - The Long Island University men's basketball team connected on 65.0% (13-of-20) from three-point range, and had four players score in double-figures, to top Monmouth, 74-71, in Northeast Conference action in Boylan Gym on Thursday night. LIU improves to 4-4 overall and 1-0 in NEC play. Monmouth falls to 3-7 and 0-1 in the league.

LIU, which was 6-for-7 from beyond the arc in the second half, earned its first win in Boylan Gym since January 9, 1999.

The Hawks were led by freshman Jhamar Youngblood's 20 points, while seniors Marques Alston added 13 points and Dejan Delic scored 12.

Long Island opened the game on a 6-0 spurt, as the Hawks went 0-for-5 from the field to open the contest, before Whitney Coleman drained a three-pointer with 15:45 left.

The Blackbirds, behind five straight scoring possessions with a three-pointer, including four by Eugene Kotorobai, took a 23-14 edge with 7:47 remaining, and increased the lead to 16 points 3:42 later. In the three-minute stretch, LIU out scored Monmouth 12-5. LIU led by as many as 17 points, 38-21, with 3:16 showing after Tyrone Mattison's three-point play.

Monmouth scored the next eight points over the final 2:38, with three each coming from Delic and Alston, and two more from Coleman, to trim the cushion to single-digits, 38-29 at the intermission.

LIU continued its hot three-point shooting out of the locker room, connecting on two treys in the opening minutes of the second half to claim a 44-31 advantage with 18:10 showing. The Hawks then scored six straight to pull within 44-37 at 16:38.

James Williams drained his second three of the final half with 13:37 left to put the Blackbirds up, 52-41, before the Hawks' scored the next five points, highlighted by Youngblood's baseline drive with 12:25 left.

Monmouth pulled within 61-59, after Youngblood's three-pointer, with 7:55 left, before LIU netted the next six points to reclaim a 67-59 cushion, capped by Mattison's two foul shots with 4:57 left.

Youngblood, who scored all of his career-high 20 points in the second half, dropped in a layup to pull MU within 69-66, and Coleman helped the Hawks creep with 72-69 with his own three-pointer with 1:09 left.

After LIU, beat the Monmouth press with a basket from Williams, Youngblood answered with a drive, trimming the lead to 74-71 with 48.2 seconds left. After a Monmouth timeout, and a Youngblood blocked shot, LIU retained possession with 19.1 seconds and six ticks on the shot clock. With the shot clock winding down, Mattison's shot rolled off the rim, but Coleman's three-point attempt at the buzzer went long, as the Blackbirds held on for the win.

Coleman was the fourth Hawk in double figures with 11, and Michael Shipman chipped in nine assists off the bench.

MU returns to action on Saturday, December 9 as they host the Hartford Hawks in a non-conference tilt at 7:00 p.m.