BROOKLYN, N.Y. — The Long Island University women's basketball team (10-6, 5-0 NEC) returns home to the Steinberg Wellness Center for a home matchup against FDU on Saturday, Jan. 17, at 2 p.m., as both teams enter the game with unbeaten 5-0 records in NEC play.
LIU enters Saturday's game off a three-point barrage against Le Moyne College on Thursday night, shooting 14-27 from beyond the arc in a 79-68 home win over the Dolphins. Junior Janessa Williams scored a career-high 24 points to lead LIU in the win, followed closely by junior Solangelei Akridge, who shot 7-10 from three-point range and tied her career-high of 23 points on Thursday.
Saturday's game will be available digitally on NEC Front Row, with the "Voice of the Sharks" Phil Constantino (play-by-play) and Hevynne Bristow (analyst) on the call.
Quick Facts
-KNIGHT HISTORY: Saturday's meeting will be the 89th meeting between FDU and LIU, with the Knights holding a 56-32 advantage in the all-time record. The Knights won the previous matchup 73-44 in last season's NEC Tournament.
-LAST TIME OUT: Williams scored a career-high 24 points while Akridge tied her career high with 23 points in LIU's 79-68 win over Le Moyne on Thursday. LIU shot 14-27 from beyond the arc in the win, led by a 7-10 mark by Akridge in the win.
-CONFERENCE-HIGHS: Kadidia Toure leads the NEC in PPG (19.3), RPG (10.1), and FG% (47.7%) this winter. The Sharks also allow an NEC-low 26.9% opposing three-point field goal percentage, which ranks 39th nationally. The Sharks lead the NEC with 70.7 points per game scored this winter.
-WEEKLY AWARDS: Kadidia Toure received her second NEC Player of the Week award on Monday, along with her seven Prime Performer honors. Toure also received co-Division I Women's Player of the Week honors from the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association and national Player of the Week recognition by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. Williams and sophomore Laura Molnarova have also earned NEC Prime Performer honors this winter.
-STRONG START: With Thursday's win over Le Moyne, LIU set a new program-best start to NEC play (5-0), surpassing its previous best of 4-0 (2001-02 season). LIU has defeated CCSU, Chicago State, Mercyhurst, Saint Francis, and Le Moyne to begin conference play.
-NEC PRESEASON POLL: LIU was selected to finish eighth in the NEC Preseason Poll by the conference's head coaches.
-NEW FACES: LIU features plenty of new faces on the court this season, including transfers in senior Kadidia Toure (Arizona State, James Madison), senior Isabella Tañedo (Utah State), sophomore Laura Molnarova (JMU), Kionna Gaines (Clemson, Auburn, Kennesaw State), graduate student Janiya Reed (Xavier (La.)), graduate student Hannah Humphrey (East Texas A&M, UT Arlington, Blinn), and Solangelei Akridge (Alabama State). The Sharks also bring in five freshmen, as Leila Nuñez, Saran Diallo Toure, Kennady Gordon, Camille Wiley, and Carmela Nuñez all join the program.
-LEADING THE WAY: LIU hired head coach Neil Harrow in April 2025 after recent stops at James Madison University and in the WNBA with the Los Angeles Sparks. In three seasons as the Associate HC at JMU (2022-2025), Harrow helped the Dukes to three Sun Belt championships and one NCAA Tournament appearance.
