BROOKLYN, N.Y.— The Long Island University women's basketball team earned their second straight Northeast Conference victory on Monday night, defeating CCSU, 63-61 at the Steinberg Wellness Center.
The Sharks had three scorers contribute double-digit points against the Blue Devils. Sophomore
Kiara Bell finished just shy of a double-double, registering a team-high 15 points to go along with nine rebounds. Junior
Jeydah Johnson contributed 13 points and sophomore
Ryan Weise added 10 points.
LIU had two more players flirt with a double-double on Monday night. Junior
Mia Perkins recorded with eight points and a game-high 10 rebounds and graduate student
Drew Winter finished with eight points and a season-high eight assists.
GAME BREAKDOWN
The visiting Blue Devils opened the game with an 8-4 lead in the first two and a half minutes of action. LIU started to get going offensively, eventually using back-to-back three pointers from Weise and Winter to take the lead 11-10 at the 5:33 mark in the first quarter. The lead would go back-and-forth as the quarter wore on before CCSU used a four-point stretch for the 16-13 advantage with just under three minutes remaining. The slight lead would hold through the rest of the quarter with LIU getting the last bucket on a jumper from Perkins to put the score at 19-17 after one quarter of play.
Momentum carried over in to the second quarter as the Sharks opened the period with a 8-2 stretch to take a 25-21 lead with 7:34 remaining. Johnson and sophomore
Brandy Thomas led LIU with three points each during that run. The Blue Devils countered with a 13-2 run over the next four minutes to take a 34-27 lead at the 2:58 mark in the quarter. The Sharks closed the second quarter on a five-point run courtesy of Johnson to take a two-point deficit in to the half, 34-32.
The second half began with both teams trading jabs at the lead, working to a 42-42 standstill at the 6:14 mark in the third quarter. LIU made the first run of the second half with a 6-0 swing paced by four points from Perkins to take a 48-42 lead at the 4:40 mark. The Sharks lead eventually grew to eight late in the quarter with a 5-0 stretch on a triple by Weise and jumper from Bell but the Blue Devils answered with the final bucket of the quarter to make it a six-point game, 56-50 heading to the final quarter. LIU shot a game-high 60% (9-for-15) in the third quarter, outscoring CCSU 24-16 in the period.
LIU opened the final quarter with a layup from Weise and pair of free throws by Bell for their largest lead of the game, 60-50 at the 6:36 mark. The Blue Devils battled back with a 6-0 run to make it a four-point ball game with 2:35 to go. Both teams would go quiet from the floor over the next minute and 50 seconds without a made field goal. LIU broke its scoring drought with a free throw from Winter with 45 seconds to go to put the lead at five, 61-56. CCSU connected on a three with 31 seconds to go, cutting the deficit to two at 61-59. Winter added a pair of free throws to push the lead back to four, 63-59 with 14 seconds remaining. CCSU connected on a layup with two seconds but LIU was able to successfully inbound the ball to run out the clock and take the game, 63-61.
SHARK BITES
- Bell led the Sharks in scoring for the fourth time this season, going 6-for-13 from the field and 3-for-3 from the free throw line for 15 points.
- Johnson contributed 13 points for her ninth double-digit scoring effort this year. She also tied her with season-high seven rebounds.
- The Sharks recorded 15 assists on the night as Winter recorded a season-high eight assists.
- Weise added six dimes for LIU to go with 10 points and five rebounds. She has recorded five-or more assists in eight games this season.
- Perkins reached double-digit rebounds for the fourth time this season and finish just shy of the double-double with eight points.
- LIU dominated the glass against the Blue Devils with a 50-38 margin on the glass. It is the third time this season the Sharks have recorded 50 boards in a game.
- The Sharks defense held CCSU to a 25% clip from downtown on Monday night.
UP NEXT
LIU will hit the road for the next two games. First up for the Sharks is a trip to Bryant on Saturday, January 18. Tip-off is slated for 1:00 p.m. in part of a doubleheader with the men's team.
