BROOKLYN, N.Y. – The LIU Brooklyn women's basketball team struggled with shooting in the Steinberg Wellness Center Saturday afternoon, and it cost the Blackbirds the game, as LIU fell to local rival Manhattan, 72-38. With the loss, the Blackbirds move to 4-6 on the season.
 
LIU shot just 17.9 percent from the field in the loss, and went 1-for-21 from three-point range, while the Jaspers hit 49 percent of their shots, and had four players score in double digits.
 
The Blackbirds opened scoring in the game on a jumper from senior Denisha Petty-Evans, but from there, Manhattan went on an 11-0 run to take a commanding lead in the first period. Freshman Jeydah Johnson hit a three-pointer at 5:23 that would snap LIU's scoreless streak and cut the lead to six, 11-5. From there, senior Stylz Sanders made a layup, and Petty-Evans had an offensive rebound and putback jumper that would bring the Blackbirds within five in the final three minutes of the first period. But Manhattan would score seven straight points to end the period, and led 21-9.
 
The Jaspers widened the gulf in the second period, opening on a 7-0 run that would make it 28-9 at 8:34. LIU was held scoreless for nearly five minutes in the second period, allowing Manhattan to increase the lead to 36-13. Johnson, Petty-Evans and Sanders all made layups in the final two and a half minutes of the first half to help cut the lead down, but Manhattan would hit a three in the final ten seconds to widen the lead to 43-19 at the break.
 
LIU's shooting struggles continued into the second half, as the Blackbirds would make just two field goals in the final two periods. Foul trouble from the Jaspers kept LIU in the game, as nearly all of the Blackbird points came at the free throw line.
 
Denisha Petty-Evans led LIU with 11 points, while Drew Winter led the Blackbirds on the boards with eight rebounds.
 
Up next, the Blackbirds host Navy in the Steinberg Wellness Center, Wednesday, November 20 at 7 p.m.