BROOKLYN, N.Y. - The LIU Brooklyn women's basketball team will travel up the West Side Highway this Sunday, December 7 to take on local foe Columbia in Levien Gymnasium at 2 p.m. The Blackbirds will be looking for their first win of the season against the Lions, who are 3-6 overall so far this season.
BLACKBIRD BITS• The Blackbirds (0-5) are coming off a tough home stretch, most recently with a close loss to Rider on Tuesday. LIU scored six unanswered points in the final three minutes of play to make a run at Rider, and the Blackbirds had a chance to tie it up with four seconds to play, but the attempt fell short, as LIU lost to the Broncs, 59-56. Junior
Sophie Bhasin led LIU with 13 points in the loss, while senior
Letava Whippy chipped in eight points, 11 rebounds, two steals and a block.
• LIU is led by junior
Sophie Bhasin, who is averaging 12.0 points per game. Senior
Letava Whippy is the leader on the boards, as she averages 8.6 rebounds per game, while junior
Jolanna Ford is next for LIU in both categories, scoring 9.6 points per game, and pulling down 4.6 rebounds per game.
ALL-TIME SERIES• Columbia holds the series advantage, 5-9, including a 62-59 win in last season's home opener. That game saw
Cleandra Roberts and
Letava Whippy score a combined 39 ponts, but LIU couldn't win it. Columbia senior Taylor Ward hit a dagger of a shot, and Columbia led, 59-57 with 1:27 to play. LIU missed four free throws in the final minute of the game, while Columbia made three of theirs, which proved to be the difference in the end. Columbia took the win in the end, 62-59.
SCOUTING THE LIONS• Columbia comes into Sunday's game with a 3-6 overall record, having lost their last three games. The Lions, after winning two games in overtime, have dropped contests at home to kennesaw State, UMass Lowell, and on Friday night, UMBC, 76-66.
• The Lions are led by two young forwards: sophomore Tori oliver and freshman Camillie Zimmerman. oliver is the team's leading scoring, as she averages 17.4 points per game, and leads the Lions with 26 assists this season. And Zimmerman is second on the team in scoring, averaging 15.6 points per game, along with 6.9 rebounds per game. • Freshman guard Alexa Giuliano chips in 10.0 points per game, along with 4.0 rebounds per game, while senior forward Amara Mbionwu pulls down a team-high 9.4 rebounds per game. Junior guard Sara Mead is along a defensive contributor, as she leads the team with 17 steals so far this season.