BROOKLYN HEIGHTS, N.Y. – The LIU Brooklyn women's basketball team was held to one of its lowest scoring totals of the season Saturday afternoon, as St. Francis Brooklyn defeated the Blackbirds, 62-53 in the Pope Athletic Center in Brooklyn Heights. One of the toughest defensive teams in the Northeast Conference, the Terriers (6-15, 3-6 NEC) held the Blackbirds (6-14, 3-6 NEC) to their lowest point total in conference play this season, and lowest since early December.

The Blackbirds opened the game on a strong note, when junior Sophie Bhasin opened scoring with a jumper at 18:38. Just ten seconds later, senior Letava Whippy had a steal on the full court press, and made the quick layup to give LIU the lead. From there, LIU extended the lead to 10-2, with back-to-back layups from Whippy. St. Francis came back over the next four minutes of play, scoring 12 unanswered points to retake the lead from LIU, going up, 16-12.

LIU cut the lead to just one point, with a three-point play by junior Jolanna Ford at 6:26, 21-20, but St. Francis answered by making four straight free throws with just over five minutes left in the half. Junior Jahmia Phillips made headway for the Blackbirds in the final minutes of the half, making back-to-back layups to cut the lead to just one point, 27-26. The two teams matched baskets in the final minute of the first half, with the Terriers taking a 29-28 lead into the locker room at the break.

The start of the second half proved to be a low-scoring one for LIU. A layup by Bhasin was the only field goal that LIU would score in the first ten minutes of half, as the Terriers used nine points of their own to open the lead up to 38-30 with 11:39 to play.

Less than a minute later, SFBK's Leah Fechko had back-to-back layups to widen the lead up to 42-31, with 10:36 on the clock. The Blackbirds would score five more points, to cut St. Francis' lead to nine points, but a three and a jumper by Sarah Benedetti opened the home team's lead up to 14 points, 48-34 with 8:50 left in the game. From there, St. Francis Brooklyn maintained the cushion, matching every Blackbird basket with one of their own. Late lay-ups from Shanovia Dove and Shanice Vaughan helped LIU close the lead back up to nine points, with St. Francis taking the win by a final score of 62-53.

Up next, the Blackbirds host Central Connecticut State, Monday, February 2 at 7 p.m.
 
BLACKBIRD BITS
•  Junior Jolanna Ford led LIU with 13 points, while senior Letava Whippy added nine points and four rebounds.
• St. Francis's Sarah Bennedetti led all players with 22 points, while forward Jaymee Veney had 21 points for the Terriers.
• LIU had 23 points from the bench, including six from freshman DeAngelique Waithe, and five from freshman Paris Jones.