BROOKLYN, N.Y. - The LIU Brooklyn women's basketball team survived a scare by Sacred Heart in the Steinberg Wellness Center Monday night, beating the Pioneers in overtime, 77-74. LIU led for most of the game, until the visiting team rallied to take the lead with just over five minutes left. The Blackbirds battled back, and senior Letava Whippy, who had a career night with 21 points and 14 rebounds, scored a last second layup to send the game into overtime. The Blackbirds kept cool heads in the extra time, earning their first OT win of the season, and improving to 5-10 overall, 2-2 in the Northeast Conference. 

LIU came out swinging in the first half, opening the game on a 6-0 run. The Blackbirds were on fire, shooting 80 percent from the field in the first four minutes of the game, and led, 16-11 at the first media timeout. 

Sacred Heart would go on a 7-2 run to cut LIU's lead to 20-18 at 13:04, forcing LIU to call a timeout. Just over a minute later, the Pioneers tied the score up at 20. The two teams stayed close from there. A three pointer by junior Brianna Farris gave the Blackbirds a slight edge, 25-22, and a jumper by sophomore Shanovia Dove put LIU up 27-24., with just over nine minutes left. 

The score would stay locked there for some time, as neither team would score a point for nearly seven minutes. SHU was the team to break the draught with a layup, once again closing LIU's lead to one point, 27-26 at 3:57. But the Blackbirds ended the half on a strong note, going on an 11-2 run, including back-to-back put-back layups from senior Letava Whippy, who had 12 of her points in the first half. Whippy's efforts gave LIU a 38-28 lead at the half. 

Sacred Heart came out of halftime ready to fire shots. And fire they did, going on a 6-2 run that cut LIU's lead down to six points, 40-34. Junior Shanice Vaughan would widen the Blackbirds' lead  back up, as her back-to-back layups made it 48-38 at 14:41. LIU continued to hold the Pioneers off until just under the ten minute mark. 

Over a six minute span, SHU outscored LIU, 18-3, including 11 points from forward Lerae Ettienne. The effort was enough to tie the game up, and give the Pioneers a 67-62 lead with 4:22 to play. But the Blackbirds weren't done yet. Junior Jolanna Ford had a layup and drew a foul, converting the three-point play to help LIU cut the lead to 67-65 with 2:50 on the clock. 40 seconds later, freshman Paris Jones drained two free throws to keep it close, and give the Blackbirds a shot. With 36 seconds left on the clock, Whippy would take it, and make it, as the senior scored the tying layup to send the game into overtime. 

The Blackbirds used four points from freshman Drew Winter, and a layup by junior Sophie Bhasin to clinch the win on their home court, beating SHU, 77-74. 

Up next, the Blackbirds host Mount St. Mary's at the Barclays Center, Saturday, January 17 at 11:45 a.m. 

BLACKBIRD BITS
• Senior Letava Whippy scored a career-high 21 points in the win, going 9-for-11 from the field. She also had 14 rebounds and two assists. 
• Bhasin was next for LIU, scoring 12 points, while junior Brianna Farris went 3-for-4 from downtown to contribute nine points. 
• Three Blackbirds contributed eight points each Monday: Shanice Vaughan, Paris Jones and Drew Winter, while Jolanna Ford had seven points and eight rebounds. 
• The Blackbirds out rebounded SHU, 47-33
• It was the first time this season that LIU has trailed with 5:00 remaining, and come back to win the game.