WASHINGTON, D.C. – A late 6-0 run by the University of the District of Columbia proved to be too much for the LIU Post men's basketball team to overcome, as the Pioneers came up short on the road, 77-69 Feb. 14.
 
The Pioneers slip to 8-8 in East Coast Conference (ECC) play this season with three games remaining on the docket, including bouts with regionally-ranked St. Thomas Aquinas College and Daemen College in the next week.
 
Wednesday's contest was tightly contested throughout, featuring nine ties and 11 lead changes, as neither team led by more than six points until the final margin. The Pioneers fought through a 38.5 shooting percentage (25-65), while UDC shot 49.1 percent (27-55) from the field. The Pioneers held a 42-34 edge on the glass and a 20-4 advantage in second-chance points, but the Firebird bench contributed 47 points while the Pioneer reserves chipped in just 14.  
 
Senior Kyle Taylor-McLeggan scored a game-high 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting while also dishing out five assists and adding three steals. Sophomore Jared Rivers added 17 points, including 15 during the opening 20 minutes. Fellow classmate Kyle Doucette grabbed 12 rebounds in 24 minutes of action to lead the efforts on the glass.
 
LIU Post led 38-36 at the half, and after the two squads went back-and-forth for the first seven minutes of the half, the Pioneers took their final lead at the 12:13 mark when senior Hunter Powell dropped in a layup to put the Green and Gold ahead 53-52. LIU Post trailed by just one point (61-60) with 5:45 remaining, but a six-point burst by the Firebirds put UDC ahead 67-60 with three minutes to play, and the Pioneers were unable to recover, falling by the eight-point margin.
 
The Pioneers return to the Pratt Recreation Center for a matchup with St. Thomas Aquinas on Saturday, Feb. 17 with tip-off scheduled for 3:30 p.m.