NEW BRITAIN, CONN. – The LIU Brooklyn women's basketball team improved to 2-0 in the Northeast Conference Monday afternoon in Detrick Gymnasium, as the Blackbirds beat Central Connecticut State, 59-45. LIU was led by three players who scored in double-digits: junior Shanovia Dove (19 points), sophomore Stylz Sanders (12 points) and sophomore Paris Jones (10 points). The 2-0 start is the best beginning to a conference season for LIU women's basketball since 2009-10.

The game was a back and forth affair for the majority of the first half. LIU opened the game with a quick three pointer from sophomore Paris Jones, and a jumper from sophomore Stylz Sanders gave LIU the 5-0 lead a minute in. From there, however, CCSU would score 11 straight points to take the lead 11-5 with two minutes left in the first quarter. Dove and senior Shanice Vaughan helped close the gap as the clock ran down, with jumpers that helped cut the lead to 13-9 at the end of the first quarter.

The Blackbirds came out in the second quarter and scored nine unanswered points in the first three minutes of play to take the 18-13 lead. Senior Jolanna Ford led the charge with two made free throws and a layup. Midway through the second quarter, CCSU would use back-to-back threes to tie the score up, 19-19 with just over five minutes left in the half. LIU used another 12-2 run to close out the quarter, sparked by Dove. Dove went 4-for-4 from the free throw line over the final five minutes of the half, and hit back-to-back three pointers to give the Blackbirds a 29-21 lead. Jones then drained a running jumper in the final minute of play, and LIU took a 31-21 lead into the break.

The second half saw Dove and Jones score two three pointers in the early minutes, widening LIU's lead to 34-23. CCSU would use four points from Kayla Miller to cut the lead to ten midway through the third quarter, but LIU rallied to score seven unanswered points in just under two minutes to take their widest lead of the game. Sanders capped the run with a layup at 3:30, putting LIU up 17 points, 46-29.

A sluggish start to the fourth quarter for the Blackbirds made the game a nail-biter towards the end. The Blue Devils went on a 14-3 run over ten minutes, as LIU went 1-for-9 from the field in that stretch. CCSU came within six points, 49-43 with 2:50 left to play, but earlier foul trouble haunted the home team. LIU would go a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line in the final 2:41 of the game, outscoring CCSU 10-2, and taking the win, 59-45.

Up next, the Blackbirds host two tough NEC teams in their home opening weekend, welcoming Saint Francis U., Saturday, January 9 at 2 p.m., and perenial NEC powerhouse Robert Morris, Monday, January 11 at 7 p.m.  

NOTES FROM THE NEST

• Shanovia Dove led LIU with 19 points, going a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Dove also had four rebounds, three steals and three assists in the win.
• Sophomore Stylz Sanders hit a career-high for the second straight game, with 12 points.
• Sophomore Paris Jones scored 10 points, going 2-for-4 from long distance.
• Sophomore DeAngelique Waithe led LIU on defense, with six rebounds and a block.
• LIU scored 15 points off of 19 CCSU turnovers, and had 11 second chance points.
• The Blackbirds improved to 4-9 overall, 2-0 in NEC play.