BROOKLYN, N.Y. - LIU Brooklyn women's basketball head coach Gail Striegler earned her 200th career coaching victory Saturday afternoon in the Steinberg Wellness Center, as the Blackbirds beat Saint Francis U., 84-79 to improve to 7-15 on the season and 4-7 in the Northeast Conference. Junior Jolanna Ford had a career night in the win, leading LIU with 25 points, along with seven rebounds and three steals, while junior Sophie Bhasin chipped in 23 points. Senior Letava Whippy added a double-double, with 13 points and 10 rebounds, as well as a game-leading seven steals.
The game was a messy one, as the two teams combined for a total of 61 turnovers and 62 fouls were called, in a contest that lasted two and a half hours. The foul calls proved to be crucial in LIU's victory, as Saint Francis (3-19, 2-9 NEC) shot 57.1 percent from the free throw line, in what would be the major difference in the game
The game was close throughout the first half, with neither team ever leading by more than six points. After Saint Francis opened scoring, LIU used layups from sophomore Shanovia Dove and senior Letava Whippy, to take a 7-4 lead at 18:07. The lead would swing back to the Red Flash with a three-pointer from SFU senior Alexa Hayward at 16:46, but a layup by junior Shanice Vaughan gave LIU the lead once more, 12-11 at 16:10.
The Blackbirds would take a six point lead just a minute later, after a 7-0 run that included a layup and a three pointer by junior Sophie Bhasin, which gave the Blackbirds a 19-13 lead at 15:08. The Red Flash would answer with an 8-0 run, to take the 21-19 lead at 13:12. Bhasin's layup at 12:44 tied the game up once more, and the Blackbirds took a 26-21 lead with just over ten minutes left in the half.
The first half stayed close from there. Saint Francis came back to tie the game up at the four minute mark, and the visiting team would lead for the remainder of the half. LIU was able to close the gap with free throws, but the Red Flash took a 41-40 lead into the break.
Coming into the second half, SFU widened the lead to 49-43, on a run that including six points from Hayward. But over the next two minutes, the Blackbirds scored ten unanswered points, including six from junior forward Jolanna Ford. LIU had the 53-49 advantage with 15:14 to play. Hayward hit back-to-back jumpers to tie the game up once more, and the two teams would, over the next four minutes, tie the score four times, and see the lead change hands six times.
With just under ten minutes left in the game, LIU went on a 7-0 run to take the lead for good, 67-60. In the final eight minutes of the game, the Blackbirds were nearly perfect from the free throw line, going 14-for-16, while the Red Flash struggled to make up ground, going 5-for-13 from the charity stripe. In the end, that made all the difference, as the Blackbirds took the win by just five points, 84-79.
BLACKBIRD BITS
• Junior Jolanna Ford had a career-high 25 points, along with seven rebounds and three steals. She shot 50 percent from the field, and went 13-for-15 from the free throw line in the win.
• Senior Letava Whippy had 13 points, 10 rebounds and seven steals, for her second double-double of the season.
• Junior Sophie Bhasin had 23 points and seven rebounds, including going a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line.
• Senior guard Alexa Hayward led all players with 29 points for SFU.
• LIU out-rebounded the Red Flash, 51-42.
• Up next, the Blackbirds host Robert Morris in the Steinberg Wellness Center, Monday, February 9 at 7 p.m.