BROOKLYN, N.Y. -- The LIU Brooklyn women's basketball team look to win back-to-back games when the Blackbirds travel to Baltimore to face UMBC Friday evening.
QUICK HITS
- LIU secured its first victory of the season on November 14 with a 57-46 home win over Saint Peter's. The win was the team's first in a home opener since November 25, 2011 against Charlotte in the Courtyard LaGuardia Turkey Classic. Graduate student Denisha Petty-Evans led the charge against with 18 points while freshman Jeydah Johnson recorded the first double-digit scoring effort for a first-year newcomer with 17 points.
- The LIU defense combined for 13 steals, the first Blackbird game with ten or more steals since LIU swiped 11 passes against St. Francis Brooklyn ten months ago (January 14).
- The team's six blocks were the most in the single game in five seasons. The last time LIU swatted that many shots was in 2013 against Robert Morris (2/2/13; six blocks).
- LIU took care of the ball exceptionally well against Saint Peter's. The Blackbirds had ten assists and nine turnovers, giving the squad a 1.11 assist-to-turnover ratio. The last time an LIU team produced a ratio higher than 1.0 was in their 2015-16 home finale versus Wagner on February 29, 2016 (17 assists/12 turnovers; 1.42). The nine turnover game also marked the first time since January 18, 2014 that an LIU team turned the ball over less than ten times (9).
- In the all-time series, LIU trails UMBC 4-6, with the Blackbirds' last victory coming on January 25, 2003 (62-58). An LIU record was set in this series as well - the Blackbirds scored a program-high 54 first half points against the Retrievers on January 25, 2001 in Baltimore.
- After dropping their first two contests, UMBC bounced back in their home opener with a 72-45 triumph over Gettysburg on November 14.
- UMBC is led by Janee'a Summers (11.3 PPG, one of three with that average; 6.7 RPG) and Melody Van Ness (2.0 APG)
NEXT UP
LIU will continue its current road schedule with a trip to Army West Point on Monday, November 20 at 7 p.m.