Box Score
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HACKENSACK, N.J. – The LIU Brooklyn women's basketball team earned its second Northeast Conference win of the year Monday afternoon, as the Blackbirds beat Fairleigh Dickinson, 86-64, in a midday matinee in Stratis Arena. LIU had four players score in double figures for the second straight game, led by career-highs from senior Cleandra Roberts (28 points) and Aleisha Myers (15 points), and strong showings from juniors Letava Whippy (16 points) and Kelly Robinson (10 points, seven rebounds and five assists).
The game got off to a slow start for LIU, as the home team took an early lead. The Knights couldn't miss for the first four minutes, taking a 9-5 lead over the Blackbirds. But then senior Cleandra Roberts started to shoot, and she didn't miss. The senior went on an 8-0 run all on her own that lasted three and a half minutes. In that time, she went 4-for-4 from the free throw line, singlehandedly putting LIU up, 13-9 at 13:04.
FDU would come back to tie it up, and even retook the lead with 9:30 to play, but that was before one of the biggest runs LIU has gone on this year. Freshman Aleisha Myers sparked the run with a three pointer at 8:33. The run stretched on over four minutes, as the Blackbirds would outscore the home team, 21-4, going up, 36-22 with 5:06 to play.
The next few minutes didn't go so well for the Knight either, as the Blackbirds extended the run to 28-6. LIU held FDU scoreless for nearly seven minutes, forcing seven Knight turnovers in that time, and scoring 15 unanswered points. The Blackbirds, who shot 56 percent from the field in the second half, took a 47-24 lead into the break.
The second half started more back and forth, as the teams traded baskets until the 15 minute mark. Then, FDU mounted a run of its own, outscoring the Blackbirds 16-3, cutting the lead to just 14 points, 62-46. The Knights then cut the lead to 12 points at 7:42, 66-54, but the Blackbirds were not ruffled. LIU would continue to make their shots, eventually widening the lead back up to 22 with help from a layup and one from freshman Briana Farris with 44 seconds left on the clock. Farris' points put the Blackbirds up for good, giving LIU the 86-64 win.
The 86 points were the most points scored by the Blackbirds in a game this year. With the win, LIU is now 4-13 overall, 2-4 in the NEC.
Roberts had a career-high 28 points, as she shot 9-for-18 from the field, and a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line. She also had five steals, four rebounds and two assists for the Blackbirds. Whippy added 16 points for LIU in the win, along with four assists and two steals, shooting 8-for-10 from the free throw line. Myers had her strongest game of the year so far, with a career-high 15 points, shooting 4-for-9 from the field, and 3-for-6 from behind the arc. In trend with her teammates, she was perfect from the free throw line, going 4-for-4. And junior Kelly Robinson had an outstanding all-around game, shooting 5-for-6 from the field for 10 points, along with seven rebounds and five assists. Senior Fanny Cavallo had seven points, eight rebounds and two blocks, while sophomore Sophie Bhasin added seven points.
Up next, LIU hosts two tough conference teams, as the Blackbirds will face off against Robert Morris, Saturday, January 25 at 2 p.m., and Saint Francis U., Monday, January 27 at 7 p.m.