Box Score HACKENSACK, N.J. –
Erika Livermore (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth Area)'s season-high 28 points couldn't propel the Fairleigh Dickinson women's basketball team past a tough defensive LIU Brooklyn squad and fell, 79-75, in Northeast Conference action at Stratis Arena on Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Blackbirds improve to 6-12 (3-4 NEC) on the season, while the Knights snap a two-game winning streak and fall to 5-13 (2-5 NEC) overall.
"The team showed great fight to come back." Head Coach
Peter Cinella said after the game, "Erika hit some tough shots and both
Tiffany Grant (Odenton, Md./Arundel) and
Anastasia Williams (Central Islip, N.Y./St. John the Baptist Diocesan) were key in the comeback. We have to take better care of the ball."
The Knights started the contest off hot with a 12-5 run and four different players scoring, an extension of the team's big 22-point win over Mount St. Mary's five days earlier. LIU Brooklyn adjusted and turned up its defensive pressure and FDU struggled to cope for much of the game.
The Blackbirds finished the first half with a 46-26 run while shooting 19-of-27 as a team, with four threes and nine steals. 11 different players scored for LIU Brooklyn with Sophie Bhasin leading the way with 14 at the halftime break.
Overall, LIU Brooklyn as a team shot 62.5% from the floor, compiled 11 steals, and held FDU to just 10 rebounds.
The Knights chipped away over the first 13 minutes of the second period and finally cut the deficit below 10 for the first time since late in the first half with the second of back-to-back three-pointers by Grant, 70-63.
Grant's treys sparked an 11-4 run over the next 2:26 in which
Kelsey Cruz (Chester, Va./Lloyd C. Bird) scored five unanswered points and Livermore converted an and-one opportunity with 4:45 left to cut the score to 74-71.
Over the next four-plus minutes, both teams struggled to make buckets and the Blackbirds held on for the victory.
Livermore led all scorers with 28, while teammates Cruz and Grant added 19 and 10 points, respectively, with the former shooting better than 50% from the field with over 10 attempts for the seventh time this season.
Grant paced the Knights in rebounds, with seven, for the first time in her career.
LIU Brooklyn outrebounded FDU, 37-33, but both teams committed over 25 turnovers.
The Blackbirds finished the contest making half of their field goal attempts (29-of-58), while the Knights converted at a 45.6% clip (31-of-68).
Bhasin paced her team with 19 points, six rebounds, and five steals, while both Brianna Farris and Sanovia Dove tallied 10 points apiece.
The Knights are on the road on Monday evening as they travel up to Sacred Heart for NEC competition. Tipoff from Fairfield, Conn., is slated for 7 p.m. with NEC Front Row carrying live video coverage.
