BROOKLYN, N.Y. — LIU women's basketball returned took on Sacred Heart in its first of two games in three days on Thursday. And its offense got hot in the second half.
 
The Sharks ultimately fell, 70-56, and moved to 0-8 in NEC play.
 
Similar to the last minutes of the contest, the LIU offense came out firing and hit five of their first seven shots, including three three-pointers. Shyan Mwai had 11 on 3-4 shooting after the first quarter.
 
Sacred Heart went on a 16-2 run and went into the locker room with a 13-point lead.
 
LIU battled back and kept the game at bay through the third. Mwai drilled her fifth three with 8:12 to go in the fourth to reignite the offense, and the Sharks continued.
 
Back-to-back threes from Cristina Bermejo and Ashley Austin had the game within nine points with four minutes to go.
 
Austin's second three in as many possessions shrunk the lead to seven, but Sacred Heart responded and held firm the rest of the way.
 
Austin, the Compton, Calif. native, led all scorers with 23 points. Mwai finished with 17 on a 5-8 clip from deep.
 
LIU returns to action Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Battle of Brooklyn vs. St. Francis Brooklyn.