MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. - The LIU Brooklyn women's basketball team is just one game away from the conclusion of a four-game series with the Pennsylvania contingent of the Northeast Conference. The Blackbirds hosted Saint Francis U. and Robert Morris last weekend, and have turned around to hit the road to take on those two teams this weekend. LIU played at Saint Francis U., Saturday, February 14, and now readies to take on league-leading Robert Morris, Monday, February 16 at 7 p.m.
BLACKBIRD BITS• LIU will be looking to snap a two-game losing streak. Most recently, the Blackbirds saw an early lead evaporate Saturday afternoon in DeGol Arena, as Saint Francis University rallied to beat the Blackbirds, 87-75.
• LIU's 17 assists tied the team's season high, while five blocks, from
Shanovia Dove,
Shanice Vaughan,
DeAngelique Waithe,
Sophie Bhasin and
Letava Whippy, marked the most by the squad all year long.
•
Sophie Bhasin led LIU with 15 points and five steals, while
Jolanna Ford and
Letava Whippy added 10 points apiece.
• SFU improved to 4-20 overall, 3-10 in the NEC, while LIU fell to 7-17 overall, 4-9 in conference play.
ALL-TIME SERIES• Robert Morris has the all-time advantage in the series, 41-16. The Colonials have won the last seven straight, and 15 of the last 16 meetings, including a 3-0 sweep last season, and a win last week in Brooklyn.
• A career-high 20 points in the second half from sophomore
Shanovia Dove would not be enough for the Blackbirds in the first meeting this season, as visiting Robert Morris beat the LIU Brooklyn women's basketball team, 77-58. The Colonials jumped ahead early in the game, and led the Blackbirds for the entire contest.
• Sophomore
Shanovia Dove had a career-high 20 points, all of which came in the second half.
• Junior
Sophie Bhasin had eight points, seven rebounds and four assists.
• RMU's Anna Nikki Stamolamprou led all players with 24 points.
• LIU Brooklyn shot 80 percent from the free throw line, and made a season-high 10 three pointers in the loss.
SCOUTING THE COLONIALS• Robert Morris has continued the hot streak they had going the last time the two teams met. At 13-11 overall and 11-2 in the NEC, the Colonials have won ten straight games. They used a big win over Central Connecticut State Saturday to move into a tie for first place in the conference standings.
• RMU beat CCSU 60-48 at home Saturday. The win not only clinched RMU's spot in the playoffs, but also assured the Colonials home court advantage for the duration of the tournament.
• That home court advantage is huge for RMU, as the Colonials are 118-33 (.780) in home games at the Charles L. Sewall Center since 2004-05, and an impressive 81-15 (.842) record against Northeast Conference opponents.
• Robert Morris's only two conference losses came early on in the schedule, and both on the road. The Colonials dropped the second game of the NEC slate at Saint Francis U, 71-68, and then a road match at league-leading CCSU, 63-46, in the third game of the year.
• Robert Morris is a strong defensive team. They are holding opponents to just a .382 field goal percentage per game, the best in the conference, and are second in the NEC in blocked shots, swatting away an average of 3.8 per game.
• Sophomore Anna Nicole Stamolamprou is the team's offensive leader. She leads the NEC in 3-point field goal percentage (.451), and three-point field goals per game, averaging 2.71 per contest. Stamolamprou also leads the team in scoring, with 15.8 points per game.
• Freshman forward Megan Smith is next, averaging 9.1 points per game, while junior guard Ashley Ravelli added 8.6 points per game.
• Freshman center Mikalah Mulrain is second in the conference, averaging 1.79 blocks per game.