Box Score
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – After taking a 31-30 lead into halftime, the LIU Brooklyn women's basketball team was held to just 18 second-half points, as Bryant beat the Blackbirds, 64-49. Senior Tamika Guz led scoring, with 14 points in the loss, while sophomore Honor Duvall had nine points. With the loss, LIU is now 4-14 overall, and 1-6 in the Northeast Conference, while the Bulldogs improve to 6-12, 2-5 in NEC play.
The game opened slowly for LIU, as Bryant scored the first eight points of the game to take an 8-0 lead on LIU. Senior Tamika Guz scored the first basket of the game for the Blackbirds at 14:23, on a jumper in the paint. The shot was the only one LIU landed in the first eight minutes of play, as LIU went 1-for-7 from the field.
But the Blackbirds found their momentum midway through the first half. Sophomore Honor Duvall converted a traditional three-point play to make it 10-5 with 12:41 on the clock, and sparked an 11-0 run by the Blackbirds.
The run was a small part of a larger margin of scoring for LIU, as the Blackbirds outscored the Bulldogs, 23-6 over the next six minutes.
Freshman Sophie Bhasin was key to the change in momentum, as she grabbed four steals on defense in just eight minutes, and landed a jumper at 6:27 to give the Blackbirds a nine point lead, 25-16.
But Bryant had a run of its own still to give in the first half, and the Bulldogs would outscore LIU, 14-4 over two minutes. A layup by Bryan's Naana Ankoma-Mensa capped the run by giving Bryant the lead once more, 30-29 with 2:57 to play.
The Blackbirds took the advantage into the half, however, as Guz hit a jumper in the paint with just over a minute to play, giving the Blackbirds the 31-30 lead at the break.
Bryant would use strong defense and even stronger shooting in the second half to quell the Blackbirds. The Bulldogs held LIU scoreless for four minutes midway through the period, going on a 13-0 run, and taking the lead, 48-35 with 12:16 to play.
That, and tough defense, was all the Bulldogs would need. LIU went 8-for-30 from the field in the second stanza, scoring only 18 points. Bryant had five players score in double-digits in the 64-49 win.
Guz led all scorers in the game with 14 points, while sophomore Honor Duvall had nine points. Junior Cleandra Roberts scored eight points and grabbed eight rebounds, while sophomore Letava Whippy had eight rebounds and five assists.
Up next for LIU Brooklyn women's basketball is the 20th annual Battle of Brooklyn. LIU will host St. Francis Brooklyn in the Wellness Center, Monday, January 28 at 7 p.m.