EASTON, Pa.— The Long Island University women's basketball team fell to Lafayette, 65-60  on Wednesday night at Kirby Sports Center. The Sharks had four scorers finish in double figures against the Leopards, led by 14 points from junior Jeydah Johnson and sophomore Kiara Bell along with Brandy Thomas.

GAME BREAKDOWN

The opening quarter was a battle with seven lead changes in the period. A triple by Johnson gave the Sharks a slight 3-2 lead in the opening minutes before Lafayette made the first run of the quarter. The Leopards went on a 10-0 run to take a 12-3 lead with 6:30 to go in the period. LIU answered with a 10-0 run of their own led by four points from Bell. A three by Johnson at the 3:05 mark gave LIU the 13-12 lead. Both teams traded shots at the lead from there with the Sharks getting the last shot in the period as Thomas drained a layup for the 17-16 lead after one. LIU shot 87.5% from the floor in the first, draining all three of their three-point attempts.

Lafayette regained the slight lead, 20-17 to start the second period with two made jumpers. LIU kept it close from there eventually using a five-point run over a two-minute stretch. Bell drained a jumper to give the Sharks the 24-22 lead with 4:12 remaining before the half. But an 8-2 closing stretch for Lafayette gave them the 30-26 lead at the half.

The second half began with both teams trading baskets, going toe-to-toe for a 36-36 standstill at the 5:45 mark. LIU took back the lead on a three-pointer from Johnson shortly after but the Leopards answered with a triple of their own to keep the game ties. That three sparked a 12-0 run for the home team for the 48-39 lead with 2:23 to go in the quarter. The Sharks closed the quarter strong a three from sophomore Ryan Weise and a jump shot from Johnson made it a 48-44 game heading into the final period.

LIU looked to cut into the deficit in the early stages of the final period, using a 6-2 stretch led by four points from Thomas to make it a 52-50 ballgame with 7:05 remaining. After both teams went cold from the floor for a two-minute stretch, Lafayette shifted momentum with a 9-0 run to take a 59-50 lead with 2:37 to go. The Sharks continued to fight through the final seconds as Weise netted five points to make it a three-point game, 63-60 with seven seconds to go. Lafayette capitalized at the charity stripe in the final seconds to seal the game, 65-60.

SHARK BITES

• LIU finished with four scorers in double figures for the second time this season.
• The Sharks finished with a season-high 43.9% clip from the floor against the Leopards.
• Thomas added a team-high eight rebounds.
• Bell finished with a career-high seven made field goals on the night.
• Johnson connected on a season-high four made three-pointers.
• Weise added three made three pointers along the way to a season-high scoring effort.
• The Sharks edged the Leopards on the glass, 33-32. It marks three straight games LIU has won the rebounding battle.
• LIU recorded nine steals on the defensive end as Bell, Johnson and junior Mia Perkins tallied two steals apiece.

UP NEXT

The Sharks return to the Steinberg Wellness Center on Wednesday, November 27 for a 1:00 p.m. contest against Stony Brook.