BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Senior Mike Myers Keitt poured in a career-high 27 points, on 6-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc, but the Monmouth University men's basketball team fell at defending Northeast Conference Champion LIU Brooklyn, 106-86, on Saturday afternoon.

Myers Keitt, who became the 12th player in program history to hit six three-pointers in a single game, had 16 points in the first half, and added six rebounds, three assists and two steals for the Hawks.

The Blackbirds, who connected on 63.9% from the field, including 72.7% in the second half, had five players score in double-figures as LIU posted a season-best 106 points in the Wellness Center.

Jesse Steele's three-pointer gave the Hawks an early 3-2 edge, but the Blackbirds responded with an 8-0 run to take a 10-3 advantage, following five straight points from C.J. Garner at 16:13. The Hawks answered with a 9-4 spurt, capped by Austin Tillotson's baseline drive, to climb within 14-12 with 13:33 showing.

LIU came back with an 8-2 run to push its advantage to 22-14, before the Hawks netted a pair of free throws from Steele and Marcus Ware's offensive put back to pull within 24-20 with 9:25 left.

Over the game's next five minutes, LIU put together a 15-0 run, which included three consecutive three-point trips, to grab a 39-20 advantage with 4:39 remaining in the half.

Trailing 41-22 at the 4:00 mark, the Hawks rallied with the next 13 points, including three three-pointers from Myers Keitt, to pull within 41-35 with 1:24 remaining, while Ware's basket off a feed from Ed Waite made the score 43-37 at the break.

The Hawks, who ended the half hitting 5-of-10 three-point attempts, ended the opening stanza with a 15-2 run after the Blackbirds, who went 11-for-14 from the free throw line, matched their game-high 19-point advantage with 4:00 left.

Dion Nesmith's steal and lay-up pulled Monmouth within 43-39 just 10 seconds into the half, but two-straight three-point plays and a Garner jumper, inflated the LIU cushion back to double-figures as the Blackbirds led 55-42 with 16:46 left. LIU pushed its run to 12-2 to take a 59-46 lead, and after a pair of three-point plays by Boyd, the Blackbirds led 65-49 at 14:27.

Another Myers Keitt trifecta, Waite's three-point play and Will Campbell's three-pointer rallied the Hawks within 72-62 at 10:30, but LIU answered with a 13-2 spurt to go ahead 85-64 with 7:53 left.

Myers Keitt's sixth three-pointer made the score 95-76, giving the senior a new career-high, while his pair of free throws with 3:42 left made the tally 97-78.

Campbell added 12 points and five rebounds off the bench for MU, while Tillotson chipped in 11 points and five assists.

The Blackbirds, who went 25-30 from the foul line, were led by Boyd's 28 points on 11-for-13 shooting from the field, and eight rebounds. Jamal Olaswere added 19 points for LIU, which is now 12-6 overall and 6-0 in the NEC.

Monmouth (3-16, 1-5 NEC) returns to action on Thursday, January 19 when the Hawks host Saint Francis University in Northeast Conference action in the MAC, at 7:00 p.m.