Box Score
BROOKLYN, N.Y. - The LIU Brooklyn women's basketball team finished the 2012-13 season in style, as the Blackbirds rallied on Senior Night to beat the No.2 seed in the conference, Sacred Heart, 73-68. LIU started the night by celebrating seniors Tamika Guz and Krystal Wells, in their final game in the Wellness Center, and ending the night celebrating an outstanding game by the two team captains.
Wells led the Blackbirds with 16 points, going 4-for-7 from behind the arc, while Guz added 15 points and six rebounds.
LIU opened the game on top, when junior Cleandra Roberts pulled down an offensive board and made the layup, 2-0 at the 18:53 mark. But Sacred Heart (21-9, 13-5 NEC) came back to tie it, and LIU would not lead again for most of the first half.
The two teams saw the score tied at both four and six, before SHU would pull away. Midway through the half, Gabrielle Washington scored four straight points for the Pioneers, putting Sacred Heart up by nine, 21-12 at 8:47.
But LIU hung tough, and used a three-pointer from Wells at 8:20 to spark a run. Freshman Sophie Bhasin hit two free throws, and sophomore Letava Whippy had a huge three-pointer at 6:26 to cut the lead to just one point, 21-20. A minute later, sophomore Tiffany Patterson hit a jumper to give LIU its second lead of the half, 22-21, at 5:28.
But Sacred Heart would pull away once more, and led by four points heading into halftime, 35-31.
Coming out of the break, LIU dominated the Pioneers in the early minutes of play, holding SHU scoreless for two minutes. The Blackbirds used the time to go on an 8-0 run, tying the game and taking the lead on a three-pointer by Roberts, 39-35 at 18:24.
Once Sacred Heart got back in its groove, the game stayed close. The Pioneers tied it up 39-39, and then again at 46-46, before LIU took the lead for good.
Bhasin hit a jumper at 13:02 to put LIU up, 48-46, and the Blackbirds would not trail again.
LIU used a three pointer by Wells to take its largest lead of the game at the 4:29 mark, 63-54, and it was enough of a cushion for LIU to finish out the game.
Sacred Heart made a late rally, hitting a three with 53 second left on the clock to make it 71-68, but Guz had a huge jumper in the paint with27 seconds left to increase LIU's lead to five, 73-68. Guz then had a steal on a costly Sacred Heart turnover, and the Blackbirds were able to run out the clock and take the win.
Senior Krystal Wells led LIU with 16 points, while Tamika Guz added 15 points and six rebounds. Freshman Sophie Bhasin also had 15 points, while sophomore Letava Whippy had 12 points and three assists. Junior Cleandra Roberts added nine points and a game-high ten rebounds in the win.
With the win, LIU finished the 2012-13 season 7-22 overall, 4-14 in the NEC, while Sacred Heart falls to 21-9 overall, 13-5 in NEC play.