BURLINGTON, Vt. – The LIU women's basketball team rallied from a 16-point deficit at the half to take the lead in the final two minutes of the game at the University of Vermont Friday night, but saw the Catamounts make a basket with five seconds left to steal the win, 52-51.
 
SHARK BITES

• The Sharks struggled with shooting in the first half of the game, and trailed Vermont at the break, 36-20.
• A different LIU team came out in the third period. Kiara Bell sparked scoring with a layup, and the Sharks would go on to outscore the Catamounts, 19-5 in the third period.
• Early in the fourth, senior Erykah Russell made a fast break layup that tied the game up, 41-41 with 8:38 left to play.
• The two teams went back and forth from there, as neither squad would lead by more than two baskets.
• LIU would take the lead for the first time in the game at 3:44, when Bell made a layup in the paint, but Vermont would tie it back up 20 seconds later.
• The Sharks retook that lead with just 94 seconds left to play. Freshman Emaia O'Brien made a steal, and converted that to a layup, giving LIU the 51-50 lead.
• LIU had chances to put the game away for good in the final minute, but missed three shots. Vermont got the ball back with nine seconds left, calling a timeout. Coming out of that, UVM would make a jumper in the paint with five seconds left to take the lead, 52-51.
• The Sharks had a late chance as the buzzer sounded, but the shot didn't fall, and Vermont took the one-point win, 52-51.
• Kiara Bell led LIU, scoring 14 points and grabbing six rebounds in just 19 minutes of action. She went 7-for-14 from the field, and also had two steals and a block.
• Erykah Russell had 12 points and six rebounds for LIU, while Kennedy Taylor had seven points, two rebounds and a team-high four assists. Freshman Danielle Grim tied the team high with six rebounds.
• Up next, the Sharks come home to Brooklyn to host Yale, Wednesday, December 8 at 7 p.m.