HAMILTON, N.Y. – The LIU Brooklyn women's basketball team scored 25 points in the fourth quarter to rally late at Cotterell Court Saturday evening, but could not overcome a slow start to the game, falling to Colgate, 76-61. Senior Shanovia Dove led all scorers with 25 points and six rebounds in the loss for LIU, while Dionne Coe had a season-high 13 points for the Blackbirds.

The Blackbirds had a slow start in the first quarter of the game. After a three-pointer from Dove at 8:40 to tie the score up, 3-3, LIU wouldn't score again until the five-minute mark, on a layup from freshman Aja Boyd. The Blackbirds had a hard time hitting shots, as LIU went 1-for-13 from three-point range in the first half, and 24.3 percent from the field. Meanwhile, Colgate shot 50 percent from the field in the first two quarters, and took a 23-8 lead after the first period was over.

Dove had nine of her 25 points in the second quarter to help even scoring a bit, and along with baskets from Brianna Farris and Boyd, LIU was able to close the lead to 43-23 at the end of the first half.

The Blackbirds came out of the half on a strong note. A three-pointer from freshman Seneca Richards nine seconds in, followed by a steak and a fast break layup from Dove, and LIU had close the gap to 15 points, just 30 seconds into the half. Missed shots would plague LIU again in the third quarter, and the home team would widen the gap back up at the end of the third quarter, 61-36.

LIU went on a scoring spree in the fourth quarter. With three minutes left in the game, the Blackbirds, led by Coe, went on an 8-2 run. A three from Coe, followed by a jumper from Drew Winter, and the Blackbirds had the lead down to 16. Coe was fouled behind the arc with 1:57 left in the game, and drained all three shots to cut the Raiders' lead to 15 once more, 71-56. Coe would hit another three, and Farris made a jump shot as the clock ran down, but it was not enough for the Blackbirds to overcome the early deficit, as Colgate took the win, 76-61.
 
BLACKBIRD BITS

• With the loss, the Blackbirds move to 1-8 on the season, prior to a Monday night matchup on the road with Columbia.
• Shanovia Dove led the Blackbirds in scoring for the second straight game, with 25 points, and a team-high six rebounds.
• Dionne Coe had a season-high 13 points and five rebounds, going 5-for-5 from the free throw line, and 2-for-4 from three-point range.
• Freshman Aja Boyd had seven points, six rebounds and two blocks for the Blackbirds, while classmate Victoria Powell had five points and a team-high three assists.
• Colgate had three players in double figures, led by Kateri Stone, with 16 points. Mylah Chandler (12 points) and Chelsey Koren (10 points) also did damage for the Raiders.