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LORETTO, PA. – The LIU Brooklyn women's basketball team had a huge win Saturday afternoon in DeGol Arena, as the Blackbirds beat Saint Francis U. in the final seconds of the game, 69-66. LIU was led by double-doubles from seniors Cleandra Roberts and Fanny Cavallo, who combined for 37 points and 24 rebounds in the win.
 
With the victory, LIU improves to 7-17 overall, 5-8 in the Northeast Conference, while the Red Flash falls to 10-14 overall, 8-5 in NEC play.
 
LIU was slow to spark when the game began, as the Blackbirds shot just 25 percent from the field in the first five minutes, and Saint Francis took advantage, going up, 8-2. Senior Fanny Cavallo converted a traditional three-point play at 15:40 to close the gap to 8-5, and just 30 seconds later, sophomore Sophie Bhasin made a layup off the inbounds play to cut it to 8-7 at 15:18. The two teams would stay locked from there, going basket-for-basket, until Bhasin drained both her free throws at 12:44, to give the Blackbirds their first lead of the day, 16-14.
 
Saint Francis retook the lead, however, and used a 6-0 run to go up, 26-21 at the 7:35 mark. The Red Flash would hold on to the lead for most of the time remaining, until freshman Aleisha Myers hit a jumper at 3:44. Cavallo followed that up with a layup at 3:12 to make it 31-30, and junior Letava Whippy tied it up at 31 when she drained a free throw with a minute and a half left to play.  SFU would drain a three-point shot eight seconds later to take the lead, but Bhasin took over from there. She hit a jumper at 1:09 to cut the lead to one point, and as the clock expired before the half, she drained a three-pointer from the left corner to give the Blackbirds a 36-34 advantage at the break.

The second half was one of runs and momentum swings, with seven tie scores and the lead changing hands six times. Neither squad would score for the first three minutes of play, until SFU started a scoring streak. Saint Francis would outscore LIU 7-0 in a minute and a half of play, retaking the lead, 41-36 at 16:30.
 
But then the Blackbirds would go on a run of their own. Cavallo sparked it with a layup at 15:46, and LIU would outscore the home team, 9-0, retaking the lead, 45-41. The Blackbirds couldn't sustain momentum, however, and saw the Red Flash go on another run, this time, 10-0. Saint Francis forced three LIU turnovers in just under three minutes, and freshman forward Erin Blaine converted the fast break points, scoring eight of the team's 10 points in that run. Propelled by Blaine, SFU took a 51-45 lead at the 10:27 mark.
 
LIU had back-to-back baskets from Roberts at 10:08 and 9:44 to stay in it, 51-49, and Roberts would tie it up at 54-54 with another layup at 7:47.
 
From there, it was an out-and-out brawl, as neither team would lead by more than three points. Saint Francis took the lead at 4:46 on a layup from senior Alli Williams, but freshman Shanovia Dove had a layup 30 seconds later to give the Blackbirds the lead again, 64-63. Saint Francis would take the lead back once again with 2:18 on the clock, 66-65, and from there, it was anyone's game.
 
Both teams had missed shots in the final two minutes of play. It wasn't untill the 32-second mark that momentum finally shifted for good. Whippy found Roberts wide open under the basket on a well-executed play, and the senior converted the opportunity, making the layup and giving LIU a 67-66 lead. Saint Francis had a chance with 16 seconds left, but missed the layup. On the inbounds, they fouled Bhasin, who drained both free throws with 13 seconds left, to make it 69-66. SFU missed a last second shot, and the Blackbirds had their first win in DeGol Arena since 2008, 69-66. 
 
The Blackbirds had two players with double-doubles in the win, as senior Cleandra Roberts had 23 points and 11 rebounds along with four steals, while senior Fanny Cavallo had 14 points and 13 rebounds, and a game-high three blocks. Sophomore Sophie Bhasin added 19 points, while junior Letava Whippy had eight rebounds, three points, four assists and two steals. Junior Kelly Robinson tied her season high with nine assists in the win.
 
Up next, the Blackbirds head to Moon Township, Pa., to take on league-leading Robert Morris. The two teams will face off Monday, February 17 at 7 p.m.