ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The LIU Post men's basketball team fell 79-70 to Roberts Wesleyan College Sunday afternoon inside the Voller Athletic Center in a game that saw the Pioneers lead in the first half and tie the score with the Redhawks five times.
 
Sophomore Alonzo Ortiz-Traylor led the game in scoring with 21 points and led the Pioneers in rebounding with eight while also adding two blocks. Freshman Kendell Ogilvie finished with 13 points along with three rebounds and redshirt senior Neil Feminella had a career-high ten points, four rebounds and two assists.
 
The Pioneers' defense caused Roberts Wesleyan to cough up 21 turnovers to only 12 by LIU Post.  LIU Post also outscored Roberts Wesleyan in the paint, 26-22.
 
While the Redhawks scored the game's opening basket, Ogilvie answered with a three-pointer with 19:04 on the clock. Roberts Wesleyan then took a 16-8 lead with 14:24 left in the half but the Pioneers used a 7-1 run that featured two layups by Sands and a sophomore Jackson Jordan three-pointer to tie the score 15-15 with 11:30 remaining in the half.
 
LIU Post's first lead came on a pair of Ortiz-Traylor free throws with 8:40 on the clock as it jumped ahead 20-18 and it's biggest lead came with 7:52 remaining when an Ortiz-Traylor layup put them up 22-18. Despite a deep three-pointer from the right wing by  Feminella, Roberts Wesleyan took a 35-31 lead into halftime.
 
The Pioneers continued playing the Redhawks close out of halftime as an Ogilvie layup with 17:43 on the clock tied it up, 38-38. Roberts Wesleyan then took a 51-42 lead with 12:29 left to play but the Pioneers battled back and reduced the deficit to three, 53-50, after a Feminella layup with 6:43 remaining.
 
Despite  late three-pointers by Feminella and Jordan, the Redhawks held out to win 79-70.
 
Up Next
The Pioneers travel to Bridgeport, Connecticut, on Wednesday, Feb. 20 to take on the University of Bridgeport (13-11, 8-6) at 7:00 p.m.