BROOKLYN, N.Y. --- The No. 6 seed LIU Brooklyn women's basketball team continues its run in the 2018 Northeast Conference Tournament with a semifinal matchup against No. 2 seed Robert Morris. 

• LIU advanced to the NEC final four after defeating borough rival and No. 3 seed St. Francis Brooklyn 59-56 in Wednesday's NEC quarterfinals. Three Blackbirds scored in double figures, led by senior DeAngelique Waithe's game-high 19 points. Waithe also pulled down 12 rebounds to pace all players and logged her 12th double-double of the season. Graduate transfer Denisha Petty-Evans put up 16 points and freshman Jeydah Johnson added ten to help the Blackbirds move on.
• LIU's win was the program's 15th in NEC Tournament play (15-19 in 21 appearances) and first since March 7, 2010 when the Blackbirds defeated Central Connecticut 61-55 in the NEC semifinals. The Blackbirds also avenged their only loss to St. Francis Brooklyn in NEC Tournament play, a 68-51 quarterfinals defeat back on March 3, 2007.
• Waithe's 12 double-doubles are the most in a season by a Blackbird since Ashley Palmer recorded 13 back in 2008-09. She also added two blocks to her stat line and now has 57 for the year. She only needs three more to tie the LIU single-season record set by Ebony Davis in 2011-12. She can also surpass Tamika Dudley (279 rebounds) for tenth on the single-season with ten more rebounds. After tonight's game, Waithe currently sits at 270.
• Freshman Tia Montagne hit her season-best in steals for the second time against the Terriers (4) while setting a new mark for blocks with three. Her previous marks came versus Mount St. Mary's on January 15 (four steals) and against Bryant on March 2 (two blocks). Montagne also had three assists, leading LIU in all three categories. It marked the third time an LIU player paced the team in assists, blocks and steals - Waithe did it twice at FDU on February 24 and at Sacred Heart on February 26.
• Petty-Evans extended her second-longest double-digit scoring streak of the season to seven games with her performance against SFBK. Her longest run was the 15-game stretch she recorded to open the campaign.
• The Blackbirds have won three straight games for the first time since December 14-21, 2014. LIU also outrebounded its opponent in back-to-back games for the first time this season and remain undefeated (4-0) when doing so.
• LIU's victory was the only seeded upset of the quarterfinal round. No. Saint Francis defeated No. Fairleigh Dickinson 89-70; No. 2 Robert Morris beat No. 7 CCSU 60-54; and No. 4 Sacred Heart routed No. 5 Bryant 80-63.
• Petty-Evans (15.4 ppg), Waithe (12.8 ppg, 9.0 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 saw her numbers jump the most during NEC play. Her season averages improved to 15.3 ppg and 9.8 rpg against fellow league opponents during the regular season.
• LIU is the only team in the NEC to have three players in the top 12 in scoring (Petty-Evans: 4th; Waithe: 9th, Johnson 12th).
• As a defensive unit, LIU ranks as one of the best in the NEC. The Blackbirds rank third in scoring defense (63.7 ppg), field goal defense (.392), blocks (3.7) and steals (9.4).
• Robert Morris won six straight games to close the regular season and defeated CCSU in their quarterfinal matchup Wednesday. LIU lost its two meetings this year with RMU - 60-53 on the road on January 6 and 55-44 at home on February 10.
• The Colonials are led by Nneka Ezeigbo (10.2 ppg, 7.1 rpg) and Honoka Ikematsu (3.0 apg).

NEXT UP
The winner of tonight's matchup will take on either No.1 Saint Francis (in Loretto, Pa.) or No. 4 Sacred Heart (in Fairfield, Conn.) in the NEC Championship on Sunday, March 11 at 2 p.m. The game will air on ESPNU.