BROOKLYN, N.Y. --- The No. 6 seed LIU Brooklyn women's basketball team returns to the Northeast Conference Tournament for the first time since 2016 and will open play in the NEC quarterfinals against No. 3 seed and borough rival St. Francis Brooklyn.
QUICK HITS
- LIU secured its place in the postseason by winning its final two games, including its Senior Day finale victory against Central Connecticut, 63-57, on March 4. Senior DeAngelique Waithe recorded a double-double of 21 points and a career-high 16 rebounds while graduate transfer Denisha Petty-Evans contributed 15 points in the win. - Waithe's 20-point performance marked the second consecutive game she scored 20 or more, a first for her career. Her rebound tally also set a new career mark, edging out the 15 boards she grabbed against St. Francis Brooklyn on December 29.
- Waithe's double-double was the her 11th of the season, 12th of her career and second in her last three games.
- Junior Destoni Willock set a new season high with six points, moving past a pair of four-point outings at NJIT (November 29) and Sacred Heart (February 26).
- LIU moved to 3-0 when outrebounding their opponent (44-37 against CCSU) and 5-1 when their assist-to-turnover ratio is 1.0 or higher (12 assists/12 turnovers vs CCSU).
- Waithe blocked a career-high four shots for the fifth time this year and tied her career-high with seven made free throws.
- The Blackbirds hit two new marks as a team - grabbing a season-best 44 rebounds and knocking down a season-high 18 free throws.
- For her efforts in LIU's last two games, Waithe earned the league's final NEC Player of the Week award of the regular season - the third of the year for the Blackbirds (Petty-Evans: 2) and sixth weekly award from the NEC (freshman Jeydah Johnson: 3 NEC Rookie of the Week honors).
- Petty-Evans (15.3 ppg), freshman Jeydah Johnson (12.2 ppg), senior DeAngelique Waithe (8.9 rpg) and redshirt junior Drew Winter (4.8 apg) continue to pace the Blackbirds, with LIU sporting a top-5 conference performer in every category (Petty-Evans: 4th in scoring; Waithe: 3rd in rebounds; Winter: 3rd in assists).
- Waithe has seen her numbers jump the most during NEC play. Her season averages (12.6 ppg, 8.9 rpg) improve to 15.3 ppg and 9.8 rpg against fellow league opponents.
- LIU is the only team in the NEC to have three players in the top 12 in scoring (Petty-Evans: 4th; Johnson: T-9th; Waithe: 12th).
- As a defensive unit, LIU ranks as one of the best in the NEC. The Blackbirds rank third in scoring defense (63.9 ppg), field goal defense (.393), and steals (9.5). St. Francis Brooklyn won four of its last six contests, including a 66-60 victory over Bryant to close out the regular season. LIU and SFBK split their two meetings this year, with each team winning on their respective home floors (LIU def. SFBK 61-59 on 12/29/17; SFBK def. LIU on 2/17/18 in Battle of Brooklyn).
- The Terriers are led by Jade Johnson (14.7 ppg), Alex Delaney (5.0 rpg), and Amy O'Neill (5.1 apg).