Box Score
Brooklyn, N.Y. – Behind a sterling performance from senior Ashley Palmer, the Long Island University women's basketball team (4-1) led from start to finish in a 69-53 win over La Salle (2-5) on the final day of the Courtyard LaGuardia Turkey Classic on Saturday at the Wellness Center.
Palmer used an efficient 9-for-11 shooting performance to register a season-high 26 points en route to Tournament Most Valuable Player honors. Classmate Kiara Evans led the Blackbirds with six assists and was also named to the All-Tournament Team.
Long Island came out aggressive right from the opening tap, as Evans won the jump ball to start and tipped it right to junior Ebony Davis. Davis turned and found Palmer streaking all alone to the bucket to open the contest with an easy two points.
The play sparked a 14-0 run that featured a number of impressive moves going to the bucket by Palmer. With LIU already on top 8-0, Palmer converted a short fadeaway jumper to up the lead to double digits, then on the next trip down made a beautiful spin move in the lane and finished with her left hand to put the score at 12-0.
A runner in the paint by junior Krystal Wells finished off the spurt that also saw the Blackbird defense hold the Explorers to 0-for-9 from the floor.
La Salle used a quick 7-0 run, highlighted by five points from Brittany Wilson, to get the deficit to single digits with 9:29 remaining. But Long Island bumped the lead back to 15 points on a layup from Davis at the 5:50 mark and went into halftime with a 37-23 edge.
LIU finished the first half shooting a red-hot 59.3 percent while also assisting on 12 of the 16 made field goals. Conversely, the Explorers shot 31.3 percent from the field and just 2-of-10 from three-point range.
The second half started much the same way the first did, as the home team scored the first six points – three each by Davis and Palmer – to extend the lead to 20 points at 43-23 with 18:11 left.
A 13-4 spurt by La Salle pulled the Explorers to within nine points with 9:54 to play, and a three-point play by All-Tournament Team selection Alexis Scott cut it to eight at 56-48 with 8:19 left.
But Palmer quickly put an end to any thought La Salle had of making a run at it, scoring five straight points to re-up the cushion to 61-48. From there, the Blackbirds cruised down the stretch to complete the Turkey Classic with a perfect 2-0 record.
Joining Palmer, Evans and Scott on the All-Tournament Team were Florida guard Lanita Bartley and forward Jennifer George, and Charlotte forward Jennifer Hailey.
Davis closed the game with 14 points, six rebounds and a career-high four blocks for the Blackbirds. Wells finished with eight points while senior She'tiarra Pledger also had a solid floor game with seven points, eight boards, two assists and two steals.
Long Island continues its non-conference schedule on Wednesday, Nov. 30 as it hosts Albany at the Wellness Center at 7:00 p.m.