EMMITSBURG, MD. – The LIU Brooklyn women's basketball team opened the 2016 Northeast Conference season with a road win Saturday evening in Knott Arena, as the Blackbirds beat Mount St. Mary's, 61-51. It was the first NEC season-opening win for LIU since 2009. Defense was a highlight for the Blackbirds, as LIU forced 28 Mountaineer turnovers.

Mount St. Mary's started the game on a tear, going up 10-4 on the Blackbirds in the first half of the quarter. LIU started to make headway around the five minute mark, when junior Shanovia Dove hit a jumper. Senior Shanice Vaughan followed that with a layup at 3:46 to cut the gap to 12-8. Mount would continue to lead, however, taking a 16-11 lead out of the first quarter.

LIU took control in the second quarter, holding Mount scoreless for six minutes, en route to a 15-0 run. A layup by Brianna Farris 30 seconds into the quarter, followed by a three pointer from Vaughan at 8:59 helped LIU tie it up, 16-16.  Senior Ashley Brown offered a spark off the bench for LIU, with four steals during the run, and four straight points to put LIU up, 20-16 at the 8:30 mark. Farris capped the run with a three pointer, putting the Blackbirds up, 25-16 with just over five minutes left in the first half. The Mount regained its footing and went on a run of its own, scoring nine unanswered points over the next four minutes, tying the game up, 25-25. Sophomore DeAngelique Waithe would take back the lead for LIU, making two free throws in the final 13 seconds of the period, and the Blackbirds led, 27-25 at the half.

Mount was able to keep pace with LIU in the third and fourth quarters, but the Blackbirds were able to maintain the momentum every time the Mountaineers got close. Free throws closed the gap to 34-30 at 5:43 in the third quarter, but a free throw and a layup from Vaughan pushed the LIU lead back up to seven, 27-20 just a minute later. At the end of the quarter, sophomore Paris Jones hit a three, sparking another LIU run that would bleed into the fourth quarter. Over six minutes, LIU would outscore the Mount, 15-3, taking its largest lead of the game, 57-41 with 4:08 left to play.

In the final four minutes of the game, the Mountaineers made a valiant comeback attempt, outscoring LIU 10-4 in that span, but it was not enough to overcome the deficit, and LIU took the road win, 61-51.

"I am proud of hte team effort we put forth," head coach Stephanie Oliver said after the game. "Everybody contributed on both ends of the court."

Up next, the Blackbirds will wrap up their two week road trip at Central Connecticut State, Monday, January 4 at 2 p.m.

NOTES FROM THE NEST

• It was the first NEC opening win for LIU since the 2009-10 season.
• Senior Ashley Brown had a career high five steals, four of which came in the first half. Brown also had a career-high four rebounds, along with eight points.
• Senior Shanice Vaughan led LIU in scoring with 17 points. She also had five rebounds and two steals in the win.
• The Mountaineers out-rebounded LIU, 42 to 32, but the Blackbirds only had 14 turnovers, to Mount's 28. LIU scored 17 points off turnovers, and had 11 steals as a team.