BROOKLYN, N.Y. - The LIU Brooklyn women's basketball team welcomes crosstown rival St. Francis Brooklyn to the Steinberg Wellness Center Saturday, January 14 at noon, in the 24th annual Battle of Brooklyn. The teams will battle for borough bragging rights for the 76th time in history on ESPN 3.
QUICK HITS
- The Blackbirds enter the contest looking to snap a three-game losing streak and defend last year's Battle of Brooklyn title. LIU fell to Robert Morris, 83-42, Monday at the Sewall Center. The Blackbirds are 2-13 overall, 1-3 in Northeast Conference play.
- Freshman guard Seneca Richards led LIU with nine points. Senior guard Brianna Farris tallied eight points, and junior DeAngelique Waithe scored seven points.
- Senior Shanovia Dove leads the Blackbirds averaging 14.1 points per game. Freshman Aja Boyd is second on the team with 9.7 points per contest and leads the team with 6.1 rebounds per game.
- St. Francis Brooklyn (4-11, 2-2 NEC), which was picked sixth overall in the NEC's preseason poll, fell to Saint Francis U., 79-62, Monday. Sophomore Maria Palarino scored a team-high 17 points. Junior Alex Delaney recorded 10 points, and senior Rachel Iozzia added nine points.
- The Terriers are led by senior Olivia Levey, who is averaging 12.3 points per game. Palarino is second on the team with 11 points per game, and Delaney is third on the team averaging 9.5 points per contest.
- The rivalry between LIU ad SFBK dates back to 1975. LIU has the all-time advantage, with a 48-27 overall tally against St. Francis. The Blackbirds also lead the Battle of Brooklyn's all-time series, 13-10.
- The Blackbirds broke a seven-game skid against the Terriers in their last meeting defeating SFBK 65-62 in overtime in last year's Battle of Brooklyn. Dove scored a game-high 24 points. Stylz Sanders scored eight points, and Farris netted six points. Then senior Shanice Vaughan was named the Battle of Brooklyn's MVP.
- Up next, LIU Brooklyn hosts Central Connecticut State University Monday, January 16 at the Steinberg Wellness Center; tip-off is slated for 2:00 p.m.