Valhalla, NY| Behind a 23-point performance from sophomore Jared Rivers the LIU Post men's basketball team knocked off Mercy College for a 72-67 road victory on Saturday afternoon.

With the win, the Pioneers improve to 3-6 on the year, and 1-1 in East Coast Conference play as the Mavericks slipped to 5-3 (1-1 ECC).

Rivers' 23 points came off 8-19 shooting from the field as freshman Austin Kennedy contributed to 12 points.

Freshman Alonzo Ortiz-Traylor tallied nine points, and seniors Kyle McLeggan and Hunter Powell added eight points each.

LIU Post jumped to an 11-0 run just 2:17 into the game and remained in the lead throughout the game. The hosts eventually cut its deficit to eight-points (32-24) with 8:15 left in the first, but the Pioneers took their largest lead of the game – 18 points – before taking a 49-33 lead at the break.

The Mavericks tallied the first three points of the second half to cut the deficit to 13 (49-36). Mercy's Henoc Bienne sank a three-ball with 13:42 to play in regulation, but Ortiz-Traylor would go on to restore the Pioneers' 17-point lead and pave the way for a 72-67 victory.

LIU Post was by far the better shooting team having outshot the Mavericks 44.8% to 32.2% from the field and 39.3% to 30% from three, but Mercy did hold the advantage from the charity stripe (69%-64.3%).

LIU Post returns to action on Wednesday, Dec. 13 when they travel to take on University of New Haven at 7 PM. Live video and stats will be available here.