Box Score
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BROOKLYN, N.Y. - The LIU Brooklyn women's basketball team had a loss in its final home game in the 2013 calendar year, as the Blackbirds dropped a 57-44 decision to Southern Utah in the consolation game of the 2013 Turkey Classic. With the loss, LIU starts the season 0-6.

Southern Utah (5-2) went up early on the Blackbirds, 11-6, but with the clock at 15:23, LIU managed to score four unanswered points to get back in the game. Junior Letava Whippy had a layup, and freshman Aleisha Myers made two free throws when she was fouled, to cut the lead to 11-10 with 14:56 to play.

The Blackbirds kept it close from there, and junior Kelly Robinson had a steal and a layup to make it 17-14 at 11:25.

Senior Courtney Sullivan had her first start of the season, and made a huge impact for the Blackbirds in the first half. She hit a three at 9:50 to cut the lead to 19-17, and 40 seconds later, she had a steal on the full court press. She was fouled on the layup attempt, and made both free throws to cut the Thunderbirds' lead to 22-19. Senior Cleandra Roberts made a layup three minutes later, to chip away at the difference, 24-21 at 6:07.

Southern Utah ended the first half on an 8-0 run, taking the 32-21 lead into the half. The Thunderbirds continued the run into the second half, taking a 15-point lead, as they scored on two layups early to make it 36-21. But the Blackbirds answered with a run of their own to get back in the game.

It was sparked when junior Kelly Robinson made both her free throws at 18:05. From there, Roberts made a jump shot, and sophomore Sophie Bhasin hit a three-pointer at 16:45. Senior Fanny Cavallo hit a jump shot at 15:26, and followed that with a steal on the next play down the court. She was fouled on the fast break thirty seconds later, and made one of her free throws to extend the run to ten unanswered points, cutting Southern Utah's lead to 36-31.

The Thunderbirds came back with a run of their own, taking their largest lead of the day in the midst of a 12-1 run that spanned six minutes. With 9:21 to play, Southern Utah went up 48-32.

LIU worked to come back in late in the half. Sullivan had a block on a Southern Utah three-point attempt, grabbed the rebound and passed it to Bhasin for the fast break layup. Bhasin converted the play, reducing the SUU lead to 51-42 with 4:23 to play.

In the end, LIU had 12 costly turnovers in the second half, and the Thunderbirds took the 57-44 win.

Up next, the Blackbirds start a seven-game road trip, as they travel to Philadelphia, Pa., to take on the University of Pennsylvania, Thursday, December 5 at 7 p.m.

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