HACKENSACK, N.J. - The LIU Brooklyn women's basketball team will take on one team twice this week: Fairleigh Dickinson. The Blackbirds (5-14, 3-4 NEC) and the Knights (6-14, 3-4 NEC) will face off twice in a span of four days. First, Wednesday night at 7 p.m. in Hackensack, N.J., in a contest that was rescheduled twice due to the recent winter storm. And then four days later, the two teams will face off again in Brooklyn, Saturday, January 30 at 12:30 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT• Saturday, LIU lost to local rival St. Francis Brooklyn on a snowy afternoon in the Steinberg Wellness Center. The two teams faced off despite winter storm Jonas hitting New York City, and the Blackbirds, hampered by injury, had only six players take the court, in a game that would go to the Terriers, 71-51.
•
Stylz Sanders led LIU with 14 points, while
Brianna Farris had 13 points and a career-high five steals. Senior
Shanice Vaughan had 12 points and three assists, while
DeAngelique Waithe tied her career-high with 12 rebounds and three steals.
ALL-TIME SERIES• The two teams have been facing off since 1977, and FDU holds the all-time edge, 38-29. But recent history has favored the Blackbirds, as LIU has won the last four straight meetings.
• Last year, the Blackbirds beat the Knights, 81-71 on the road, and 79-75 in Brooklyn.
SCOUTING THE KNIGHTS• FDU comes into the week 6-14 overall, 3-4 in the NEC. The Knights, who were picked fourth in the NEC preseason coaches' poll, are trying to win their second-straight game for the first time this season.
• Most recently, the Knights, led by senior guard Kelsey Cruz's 22 points, defeated Mount St. Mary's, 66-53.
• FDU is led by two key returners, who lead the squad in scoring this season, and are ranked third and fourth in the conference as well. Senior guard Kelsey Cruz averages 18.2 points per game to lead the Knights, while red-shirt senior center Erika Livermore adds 16.6 points per game. She's also the team's leading rebounder, at 7.6 rebounds per game, and one of the top blockers in the NEC, swatting away 1.2 shots per game.
• Junior guard Kiana Brown is another key contributor, as she leads the conference with a 4.05 assists per game average.