WASHINGTON, D.C. – The LIU Brooklyn women's basketball team notched their first victory under head coach Stephanie Oliver Sunday afternoon, as the Blackbirds put together a decisive 89-72 win over Howard University in Burr Gymnasium. LIU shot 61.5 percent from the field in the win, and had three players score in double digits, led by senior Shanice Vaughan, who had a career-high 23 points, along with five assists and two steals. Junior Shanovia Dove had 20 points and a team-high six assists, while sophomore Paris Jones chipped in a career-high 18 points off the bench.

The Blackbirds opened the game on a strong note, as junior Shanovia Dove hit a three pointer at 9:53 to put LIU on the board, and senior Shanice Vaughan added a fast-break layup just twenty seconds later to widen LIU's lead to 5-0. Three pointers by Dove with just over five minutes remaining in the first quarter, and 40 seconds later, helped give the Blackbirds a 17-11 advantage over the Bison. A layup by Vaughan with 13 seconds left in the quarter gave the LIU its widest lead of the game thus far, 27-17. The offensive onslaught in the first quarter would prove to be the different in the game for the Blackbirds, giving them a head start over the home team.

LIU continued the hot shooting into the second quarter, as sophomore Paris Jones and Vaughan hit back-to-back three pointers to widen the Blackbird lead to 33-20 at 8:58. Senior Jolanna Ford added a layup two minutes later, followed by a fast-break layup from Jones at 5:17 to give LIU a 37-21 advantage. LIU's widest lead of the first half came with just 40 seconds left before the break, when sophomore Stylz Sanders hit a free throw to put the Blackbirds up, 43-25. Howard would hit two free throws in return, and LIU took a 43-27 lead into halftime.

That lead would prove crucial in the second half, as Howard would match LIU basket for basket for the remainder of the game. In the third quarter, the home team cut the lead down to just nine points on a free throw, 52-43 at 2:54. But Jones would hit another three pointer just 14 seconds later, to widen the Blackbird lead back up to 12, 55-43.

LIU widened the gap even further in the fourth quarter. Sophomore DeAngelique Waithe gave the Blackbirds a 21-point lead with her layup at 7:29, and junior Brianna Farris added to that with a three-pointer just two minutes later, to vault LIU up, 75-50. Howard would continue to chip away at the lead, cutting it down to 84-68 with just over a minute left to play. But the Blackbirds were able to hold the Bison at arm's length, earning their first win of the season, 89-72.

Up next, the Blackbirds open up at home, hosting the annual LIU Brooklyn Turkey Classic. LIU opens with Florida State in the Steinberg Wellness Center, Friday, November 27 at 2 p.m.

NOTES FROM THE NEST

• The Blackbirds shot 52.6 percent from behind the arc, led by Jones, who went 4-for-7 from long distance.
• Senior Jolanna Ford led LIU with nine rebounds to match her nine points.
• Vaughan shot 10-for-14 from the field, career highs for both FGM and FGA.
• Victoria Gonzales led all scorers with 26 points and 12 rebounds for the Bison.
• LIU shot 61.5 percent from the field.