BROOKLYN, N.Y. - The LIU Brooklyn women's basketball team will host its closest Northeast Conference rival in the Steinberg Wellness Center Saturday afternoon, as the Blackbirds welcome St. Francis Brooklyn (3-14, 0-6 NEC) for a 12 p.m. game. The contest, originally slated to begin at 5 p.m., was moved up due to inclement weather, and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN3.
SCHEDULE CHANGEDue to inclement weather slated to hit the New York area, the LIU/FDU women's basketball game originally scheduled for Monday, January 25 has been pushed back to Tuesday, January 26. Tip-off will still be at 7 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT• The Blackbirds are coming off a win over Wagner from Monday night. LIU dealt with injuries and foul trouble late in the game Monday night in the Spiro Sports Center, but managed to take the win from the Seahawks, 73-63, behind senior
Shanice Vaughan's career night. Vaughan led LIU with a career-high 29 points and 10 rebounds, her first double-double for the Blackbirds. Vaughan also had five steals, four assists and a block in the win that put LIU's overall record at 5-12, and 3-3 in the Northeast Conference.
• Sophomore
Paris Jones added 14 points in the win, while classmate
DeAngelique Waithe had a career-high 12 rebounds, along with four points and two steals.
• Senior
Jolanna Ford and junior
Brianna Farris each had 11 points in the win, with Ford grabbing nine rebounds, and Farris adding five rebounds.
ALL-TIME SERIES• The two Brooklyn women's basketball programs have been facing off in a rivalry that dates back to 1975.
• The Blackbirds lead the all-time series 47-26, but recent history's favor has fallen on the Terriers. SFBK has won the last six match-ups, including sweeping LIU last season. Last year, the Terriers took the 22nd annual Battle of Brooklyn title, 73-49.
SCOUTING THE TERRIERS• St. Francis Brooklyn, the 2014-15 defending NEC champions, have struggled to start the 2015-16 season. The Terriers enter Saturday's contest at 3-12 overall, and 0-6 in conference action. Most recently, SFBK has dropped games to Bryant (70-42) and Sacred Heart (68-51)
• St. Francis is led by senior guard Leah Fechko, who averages a team-high 14.4 points per game and 8.2 rebounds per game, and has 50 steals so far this season.
• Junior Olivia Levey and freshman Maria Palarino are forwards who are next on the team in scoring. Palarino is averaging 7.9 points per game, while Levey adds 7.0 ppg.