Box Score
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BROOKLYN, N.Y. – In the LIU Brooklyn women's basketball team's last home game of the season, the Blackbirds had two goals: honor the four members of the squad playing in their final game at the Steinberg Wellness Center, and clinch a berth in the Northeast Conference Tournament with a win over Fairleigh Dickinson. Monday night, the Blackbirds accomplished both those goals: Fanny Cavallo, Genise Presley, Cleandra Roberts and Courtney Sullivan went out with a win, as LIU defeated FDU, 56-40.
 
With the victory, LIU is now 9-18 overall, and 7-9 in the NEC, good enough to assure at least a No.8 seed in the tournament field. Just two games out of sixth place with two games left to play, final seeds will most likely not be determined until the completion of the regular season.
 
The Blackbirds honored their four seniors before the game, in a bittersweet ceremony that would set the tone for the rest of the night. The game was a back-and-forth affair that saw the score change hands, with both teams holding leads throughout the night.
 
Fairleigh Dickinson opened the game on a 6-2 run, taking the early advantage on the Blackbirds. They would continue to lead, going up 9-5 with 12:58 left to play in the first half. Sophomore Sophie Bhasin hits a three pointer at the 12:01 mark, in a move that would give LIU some momentum. Senior Courtney Sullivan hit a three with 10:50 left in the half to give the Blackbirds their first lead of the game, 11-9, and just 30 seconds later, senior Cleandra Roberts hit a jumper to complete the 8-0 run, putting LIU up, 13-9.
 
But Kelsey Cruz of the Knights would lead her team back, as FDU went on a 13-3 run, to retake the lead, and eventually widen the gap to 22-16 with five minutes remaining in the half. Freshman Aleisha Myers hit a three-pointer at 4:46, and senior Genise Presley and Bhasin added layups over the next minute, putting together a 7-0 run that would vault LIU back into the lead, 23-22 at 3:23. But LIU wouldn't score again for the remainder of the half, and FDU would, taking the 26-23 advantage into the break.
 
The first ten minutes of the second stanza were much like the first half. LIU opened on a 7-2 run, going up 30-28 with 17:06 to play, but FDU would rally back to tie it, 34-34. But the Blackbirds, who were over the limit, started hitting not just free throws, but all of their shots. Eventually, LIU would retake the lead, and widen the game to 45-40, with 4:31 to play.
 
Unlike the first half though, this time it was FDU that would not score again, as the Blackbirds ended the game on an 11-0 run. Myers would hit back-to-back three pointers in 30 seconds to quash any momentum the Knights had left, and Sullivan drained two free throws with 32 seconds left, to give the Blackbirds the win by a final score of 56-40. 
 
Senior Cleandra Roberts led all scorers with 17 points, along with seven rebounds, while senior Fanny Cavallo had a game-high 14 rebounds, as well as four steals and two blocks. Freshman Aleisha Myers chipped in 12 points, going 4-for-7 from behind the arc, while sophomore Sophie Bhasin added nine points.
 
Up next, LIU hits the road for the final weekend of the regular season, playing at Sacred Heart, Saturday, March 1, and at St. Francis Brooklyn for the annual Battle of Brooklyn, Monday, March 3 at 7 p.m.