GAME NOTES: The Stony Brook Seawolves and the Long Island Blackbirds clash in the NIT Season Tip-Off at Madison Square Garden on Thanksgiving Day.

Although it's only been two games, LIU has still yet to get into the win column, having dropped decisions against St. John's (66-53) and Saint Joseph's (74-70 OT). They will be on the road this Sunday against Temple.

Stony Brook has been much busier in the early going, with five results already on the ledger. They have won three times, including a 71-61 triumph at home on Tuesday versus Western Kentucky. They will return home, where they have collected all of their victories, to face St. Thomas Aquinas next.

Despite the fact that these schools are separated by less than 100 miles, this bout represents the first meeting between them.

LIU nearly knocked off Saint Joseph's in regulation, but a 3-pointer from James Demery with three seconds remaining evened the score at 67-67 and sent the game to an extra session. The Blackbirds never led in overtime and when Gerrell Martin's 3-point attempt in the final seconds was off the mark, they had to succumb to defeat. The Blackbirds made on 42.9 percent of their shots from the field in the contest, although they did sink seven 3-pointers. Nura Zanna and Iverson Fleming each scored 14 points in the loss.

Scoring has not come easily for the Blackbirds, although the sample size is rather small. They have netted 61.5 points per game, while making only 35.8 percent of their shots from the floor. Zanna (12 ppg, 7 rpg) is the only player to have scored in double figures in both games. He is making 52.4 percent from the field. Landon Atterberry (7 ppg, 8.5 rpg) leads the team on the glass, but his shooting has been terrible (.273).

Carson Puriefoy and Jameel Warney both turned in excellent performances for Stony Brook against Western Kentucky. Puriefoy netted 21 points and handed out five assists, while Warney racked up 17 points, 15 rebounds and four blocked shots. The Seawolves also held the Hilltoppers to 37.9 percent shooting overall, making up for a miserable final 20 minutes, when they only made 28 percent themselves.

Puriefoy (16.6 ppg, 4.2 apg) and Warney (16 ppg, 13.6 rpg) have each been tremendous in the first five games. Puriefoy is sinking just under 45 percent of his shots, while keeping everyone involved on offense. Warney is a double- double waiting to happen and his ability to block shots (2.6 bpg) makes him about as complete a player as you're likely to find. Unfortunately, the rest of the roster has not been as productive, with Rayshaun McGrew (8.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg) the third-best scorer.

With Pureifoy and Warney playing at such a high level, the Seawolves have two excellent players on which to rely. The Blackbirds are not so lucky, as Zanna has not received much support in the first pair of games. All signs point to a Stony Brook win in this one.