BUFFALO, N.Y. - The LIU Brooklyn women's basketball team dropped its season-opener on the road Saturday afternoon, as the Blackbirds fell to the University of Buffalo, 55-38. Senior Jolanna Ford led both teams with a career-high 16 rebounds in the loss, along with eight points.

The Blackbirds got on the board first with free throws from senior Jolanna Ford, but Buffalo would use three-straight three-pointers to take the 11-2 lead with 5:49 to play in the first quarter. The home team would control the lead from there, until the second quarter, when LIU made a run. Junior Shanovia Dove sparked the Blackbirds when she was fouled on a layup and made the free throw, cutting the lead to 20-13 at 6:52. From there, Dove hit two jump shots, and with a layup from senior Shanice Vaughan, LIU had cut the lead to 23-21. Buffalo's Mariah Suchan would make three minutes in the final 1:36 of the half to push the Bulls back ahead, 32-23 heading into the break.

Buffalo wouldn't let the Blackbirds get too much closer in the second half. A layup by Vaughan at 7:12 helped cut the lead to 35-27, but the Bulls would score two quick layups to wide the lead back up to 12. Sophomore Stylz Sanders had a made layup with 18 seconds left in the third quarter to cut the lead to 41-34, but a traditional three-point play by the Bulls closed the period with the home team up, 44-34. The fourth quarter was the lowest-scoring period of the day, as the two teams would combine to score only 15 points. In the end, Buffalo took the season-opener for both teams, 55-38.

Junior Shanovia Dove led the Blackbirds with 14 points, while senior Jolanna Ford had eight points and a game-high 16 rebounds. Senior Shanice Vaughan scored eight points, while sophomore Paris Jones had three steals and two assists.

Up next, the Blackbirds travel south to take on Howard, Sunday, November 22 at 2 p.m.