BROOKLYN, N.Y. - The LIU Brooklyn women's basketball team fell to Bryant Saturday afternoon in the Steinberg Wellness Center, 62-53. Despite the loss, the Blackbirds (8-20, 6-11 NEC) clinched a spot in the Northeast Conference post-season tournament by virtue of Mount St. Mary's win over St. Francis Brooklyn. Prior to the start of Saturday's game, LIU honored its four graduating seniors, Angelia Allen, Ashley Brown, Jolanna Ford and Shanice Vaughan.

Bryant jumped out to an early lead in the first quarter of Saturday's game, taking an 11-2 lead in the first five minutes of play. Though LIU would cut the lead down to six points with made free throws, the Bulldogs led, 15-8 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the Bulldogs continued to lead, and the Blackbirds continued to threaten. A 6-2 run sparked by senior Shanice Vaughan had LIU within five, 21-16, and LIU ended the quarter on an 8-2 run. Junior Shanovia Dove and sophomore DeAngelique Waithe led the Blackbirds in the run, that saw LIU down by just three points at halftime, 27-24.

Dove gave LIU its best shot of the day just ten seconds into the second half, when she drained a three pointer to tie the game up, 27-27. LIU kept it relatively close from there, until the final three minutes of the third quarter. Bryant went on an 8-2 run that would give the visiting team a 46-36 lead as the clock ran down.

The run continued into the fourth quarter, when an early layup and a made free throw gave the Bulldogs their widest lead of the day, 51-36 with 7:22 left to play. LIU was able to string together one final run, scoring six unanswered points to cut the lead to seven, 53-46 with 2:40 to play, but Bryant then hit back-to-back baskets to go up by 11, and put the game out of reach for the Blackbirds. Bryant, who improved to 13-4 in NEC play, took the win, 62-53.

Junior Shanovia Dove led all scorers with 23 points, along with five rebounds, three assists and three steals. Sophomore DeAngelique Waithe had 13 points, eight rebounds and three steals, while senior Jolanna Ford had 12 rebounds and six points.

Up next, the Blackbirds host Wagner for the final game of the regular season, Monday, February 29 at 7 p.m