LONG BEACH, Calif. - The LIU Brooklyn women's basketball team is wrapping up non-conference play this week in the Golden State, taking on two California teams before returning to Brooklyn to open the Northeast Conference season. The Blackbirds (3-6) open with Long Beach State this Sunday, December 28th. The Blackbirds will take on the 49ers (11-1) at Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, Calif., at 5 p.m. ET.
BLACKBIRD BITS• The LIU Brooklyn women's basketball team scored 26 points from the free throw line December 21, in a battle with the University at Buffalo that the Blackbirds won, 79-73. The two teams combined for 64 turnovers and 37 steals, while nine players scored in double digits in the clash at the Steinberg Wellness Center. The win was LIU's third straight.
• The Blackbirds were led by junior
Sophie Bhasin's 14 points, while
Shanovia Dove (13 points),
Shanice Vaughan (10 points),
Brianna Farris (10 points) and
Drew Winter (10 points) all helped propel LIU to the victory.
• Bhasin finished the game with 14 points, three steals and two assists, while Dove had 13 points and six steals, both career highs. Farris and Winter both chipped in 10 points, while Vaughan had 10 points, four rebounds and three assists
• Senior
Letava Whippy had a complete game, with five rebounds, five assists, four points and three steals.
• LIU shot 70.3% from the free throw line, going 26-for-37, and snagged a season-high 21 steals as a team.
I'M COMING HOME• This trip to California marks a homecoming for three Blackbirds who were hatched and raised in the greater Los Angeles area.
• Junior Jolanna Ford hails from Lynwood, California, just 15 miles from the Long Beach State campus, while junior
Sophie Bhasin is from Highland, and freshman
Paris Jones calls Riverside home. Both Highland and Riverside are located to the north and east of Los Angeles near San Bernadino, about an hour away from LBSU.
ALL TIME SERIES • This is the first meeting between LIU Brooklyn and Long Beach State.
SCOUTING THE 49ERS• Long Beach State comes into Sunday's game ranked No. 23 in the most recent College Insider Mid-Major rankings, and No. 27 in the NCAA RPI ratings. The Beach, 11-1 overall, is riding a nine-game winning streak, most recently beating Pacific, 53-43. The 49ers also have wins over San Diego State, Boise State, Pepperdine, San Francisco and LSU.
• The Beach's biggest win of the season came just two weeks ago, as they took down No. 18/17 Cal in overtime, 58-56. And their only loss so far came in overtime, as USC beat the 49ers, 90-85
• The 49ers have a significant home court advantage. Since the start of the 2011-12 season, LBSU has posted a 40-16 (.714) record at the Walter Pyramid.
• The Beach is going to be a tough defensive matchup for the Blackbirds, as they have forced 10 of their 12 opponents into at least 20 turnovers. The 49ers are tops in the Big West in steals (10.1) and turnovers forced (22.8) per game, and are 40th in the nation in turnover margin. They have also held eight of their opponents to 60 points or less.
• Offensively, seven different players have been the high scorers for LBSU in games this season.
• Sophomore guard Raven Benton is the team's leading scorer, averaging 12.1 points per game, including 18 in the recent win over Pacific. Sophomore guard Anna Kim adds 10.0 points per game, and has a team-high 18 steals this season.
• 6-3 junior center Devin Hudson is the team's leading rebounder and blocker. She averages 8.5 points per game, a team-high 8.2 rebounds per game, and leads the squad with 17 blocks.
SNAGGING STATISTICS • The Blackbirds' high-pressure defense has hit its stride, and the stats reflect it. LIU is currently first in the Northeast Conference and 11th in the nation in steals per game, as the squad averages 12.7 per game. LIU is also first in the NEC in turnover margin (2.44).
• Senior
Letava Whippy is also ranked on the national stage. She is currently 24th in the nation and second in the conference in steals per game (3.0), and third in the NEC and 30th in the nation in offensive rebounds per game (4.0)