BROOKLYN, N.Y. (Interstat) — In a game defined by a decisive second-half surge, the Long Island Sharks pulled away from the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights for a 74-60 victory in a Northeast Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at the Wellness, Recreation & Athletic Center.

A crowd of 801 watched as the Sharks, improving to 21-10 overall, used a 43-point second half to turn a narrow halftime lead into a comfortable win. The Knights, who led briefly early, fell to 11-20.

The contest was a tale of two halves, with the opening period a tightly contested affair. Long Island took a slim 31-30 lead into the break, but the game’s complexion changed dramatically after halftime. The Sharks’ offense, which had been efficient but not explosive in the first half, found another gear. They shot 54 percent from the field in the second half, including a blistering 6 of 11 from three-point range, while their defense clamped down.

The most important sequence of the game unfolded midway through the second half, turning a competitive matchup into a runaway. Leading 48-44 with just over 11 minutes to play, Long Island unleashed a devastating 15-2 run over the next three and a half minutes that sealed the outcome. The run was a showcase of the Sharks’ defensive pressure and transition offense.

It began with Greg Gordon finding Shadrak Lasu for a dunk, forcing a Fairleigh Dickinson timeout. Out of the stoppage, the Knights committed a turnover, which Long Island converted into a Jamal Fuller three-pointer off an assist from AJ Neal. Another Knights turnover led to a Gordon dunk, and a subsequent steal by Neal resulted in another Gordon dunk, capping the burst and pushing the Sharks’ lead to 63-46 with 7:58 remaining. The Knights never recovered, unable to cut the deficit below 13 points the rest of the way.

The run highlighted the statistical disparities that decided the game. Long Island’s defense was relentless, forcing 17 Fairleigh Dickinson turnovers and converting them into 23 points. The Sharks also recorded eight steals and four blocks, disrupting the Knights’ offensive flow all night. Offensively, Long Island was markedly more efficient, scoring 74 points on just 62 possessions for an offensive rating of 119.1, compared to Fairleigh Dickinson’s 60 points on 68 possessions for an 88.6 rating.

Gordon, a junior from Chicago, orchestrated the Sharks’ attack with a team-high 14 points, six assists and three steals. His backcourt mate, Jamal Fuller of Toronto, led all Long Island scorers with 17 points and added four assists. The Sharks’ balanced scoring saw four players reach double figures, including Jomo Goings with 12 points and Mason Porter-Brown with 11.

Fairleigh Dickinson was led by Taeshaud Jackson, who battled for a game-high 19 points. The Denver native added three assists and a block. He received support from Cyril Martynov, the 7-foot center from Barrie, Canada, who scored 12 points, and David Jevtic of Belgrade, Serbia, who added 11.

The Knights struggled from beyond the arc, making only 7 of 22 three-point attempts, while Long Island connected on 10 of 20. The Sharks also shared the ball more effectively, tallying 16 assists to Fairleigh Dickinson’s eight.

The victory completed a regular-season sweep for Long Island over Fairleigh Dickinson, having also won 66-59 in Teaneck, New Jersey, on Jan. 17. The Sharks will now look ahead to the NEC tournament with momentum, having won eight of their last ten games. Fairleigh Dickinson concludes a difficult season, having lost three of its final four contests.

The game was officiated under NCAA rules and was part of the conference’s regular-season schedule.