BROOKLYN, N.Y. - The LIU Brooklyn women's basketball team saw four players score in double figures Sunday afternoon, and junior Shanice Vaughan had a near triple double, as the Blackbirds beat the Bison, 83-74 in the Steinberg Wellness Center.
Junior Jolanna Ford (15 points), senior Letava Whippy (12 points), sophomore Shanovia Dove (13 points) and junior Sophie Bhasin (12 points) all scored in the double digits, while junior Shanice Vaughan had 11 rebounds, nine points and nine assists, in a near triple double. Sophomore Brianna Farris was also a key contributor, as she went 3-for-4 from behind the arc, for nine points in the win.
It was the second-straight win for LIU, who improve to 2-6 on the season, and it was one of the best offensive outputs for the Blackbirds. LIU shot 42 percent from the field and 43 percent from behind the arc, both season highs for the squad. LIU also had 17 team steals and four blocks on defense, both top numbers for the season so far.
The game was a back-and-forth affair that saw the lead change hands nine times. Howard took an early 8-4 lead in the first half, before Dove hit a three pointer at 16:38 to keep the Blackbirds close. The next time down the court, junior Jolanna Ford had a steal, and the outback layup by Letava Whippy was good, giving the Blackbirds their first lead of the day, 9-8 at 16:37. Howard would take the lead back, and the two teams stayed close from there.
The Bison's widest lead of the day came with just 1:45 left in the half, when a jumper from Cheyenne Brown put Howard up, 37-28. But the Blackbirds came calling in the final minute of the half. Whippy had a layup and converted the three point play at 1:03. Just 20 seconds later, senior Ashley Brown had a jumper in the paint to cut the lead to 37-33. The final 20 seconds of the half were where LIU made its final push. A steal by Brown led to a layup by Vaughan, and just 10 seconds later, Vaughan grabbed a rebound and pushed the ball down the court. With three seconds on the clock, she made the fast break layup, tying the score up 37-37 as the two team went into the break.
The last minute push energized the Blackbirds coming into the second half, and a steal by Ford, followed by the fast break layup helped give LIU a 43-39 lead at 18:49. The Bison came back to retake the lead on a layup at 13:53, but then the Blackbirds went on a run. A three-pointer by Farris sparked it, and LIU would outscore Howard, 10-2 over the next two minutes, taking a 59-52 lead at 11:35. The Blackbirds never looked back. LIU pushed that lead to 72-59 on a by from Ford at 3:49. Howard would foul plentifully in the final three minutes of the game in an attempt to close the gap, but unfortunately for the Bison, the Blackbirds converted 11 of 14 free throws, taking the win by a final score of 83-74.
BLACKBIRDS BITS
• Ford led LIU with 15 points, seven rebounds, three steals and a block.
• Whippy added 13 points, nine rebounds, three assists and three steals, while Dove had 13 points, a steal and a block.
• Bhasin chipped in 12 points, four steals, six rebounds and two assists in the win.
• Vaughan was just shy of a triple double, with 11 rebounds, nine points and nine assists, all season highs.
• Farris added nine points, all from downtown
• Freshman DeAngelique Waithe added two blocks, two rebounds and two steals on defense.
• Up next, LIU hosts Buffalo, Sunday, December 21 at 1 p.m.