SMITHFIELD, R.I. — A late second half comeback bid by the Long Island University women's basketball team fell just short on Saturday afternoon, falling to Bryant, 57-53, at the Chace Athletic Center.

The Sharks were led by a double-double effort from sophomore Kiara Bell, who finished with a game-high 14 points and 12 rebounds along with a pair of blocks. Sophomore Brandy Thomas contributed 11 points and six rebounds. Thomas along with juniors Jeydah Johnson, Paulani Tarawa and sophomore Ryan Weise all distributed three assists each.

GAME BREAKDOWN

It was a battle from the opening tip as both teams trades baskets for majority of the opening quarter, building to an 11-11 standstill with 3:51 to go in the quarter. LIU made its first run of the game with a 9-0 closing stretch capped by a three from graduate student Drew Winter to end the first quarter for the 20-11 lead.

The Sharks continued to hold the advantage in the opening minutes of the second quarter as both teams scored a pair of baskets for a 24-15 LIU lead at the 4:41 mark. Bryant began to heat up offensively closing the quarter on a 15-2 stretch to jump ahead 30-26 at the half.

Bryant looked to keep pushing the tempo in the second half, coming out of the break with a six-point spurt to take a 10-point lead, 36-26 at 8:11 remaining in the quarter. Winter knocked down her second triple shortly after sparking a 7-0 run that saw the deficit get cut to three, 36-33 at the 6:36 mark. The Bulldogs countered with back-to-back threes to jump back ahead 42-33 with 4:23 to go in the third. The distance would hold for the remainder of the quarter for Bryant, taking a 48-37 lead in to the final period.

After a basket by the Bulldogs opened the final quarter, the Sharks started to click again offensively. LIU went on a 7-0 run over the next two minutes as a put back jumper from Bell brought the deficit to six, 50-44. Bryant responded with back to back baskets shortly after to push the lead back to double-digits. LIU looked to make one final charge with a 9-1 run paced by five points from Johnson and four points from Bell to cut the deficit to two, 55-53 with 1:48 remaining. The Sharks were unable to tie the game in the final minute, missing a pair of field goal attempts and two turnovers while the Bulldogs connected on a pair of free throws to take the contest, 57-53.

SHARK BITES

• Bell tallied her fourth double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds against the Bulldogs. She went 7-for-10 from the floor for her sixth straight double-digit scoring effort.
• Thomas finished in double figures for the 12th time this season with her 11 points.
• Tarawa registered a career-high six steals for the LIU defense to go with her six points and three assists.
• Johnson added six points on 4-of-6 shooting from the floor for the Sharks.
• In a battle against two of the top rebounding teams in the NEC, LIU edged out Bryant, 34-31 on the glass.
• The Sharks shot 43.4 percent from the field against the Bulldogs but were held to a 28.6% clip from downtown.

UP NEXT

LIU will conclude the short road swing with a meeting against local rival, Wagner on Monday, January 20. The Sharks and Seahawks are scheduled to tip-off in Staten Island at 1:00 p.m. in the opening game of a doubleheader with the men's teams.