BROOKLYN, N.Y.— The LIU Brooklyn women's basketball team suffered 80-66 loss to Saint Francis U on Saturday afternoon to open a four-game homestand at the Steinberg Center. After a tightly contested opening half between the Red Flash and Blackbirds, the visiting team used a strong second half to take the matchup.
LIU was paced by a career-high 22 points from freshman Brandy Thomas, who also finished with a team-high eight rebounds. Sophomore Jeydah Johnson finished with 17 points and freshman Ryan Weise added 10 points and team-high five assists for the Blackbirds.
Saint Francis was the first team to strike with a six-point opening run to start the game. LIU got going halfway through the opening quarter on a pair of threes from freshman Tiya Misir and Weise before a layup from Thomas cut it to a one-point game at 12-11 at the 3:27 mark. Both teams continued to trade baskets as the Blackbirds got an old fashioned three-point play from freshman Kiara Bell late as the Red Flash held a 17-14 lead into the quarter break.
The second quarter would start out in the visiting Red Flash favor working up to an eight-point lead halfway through the period. Thomas got the Blackbirds going with a layup at 4:20 to start a 9-4 stretch to cut the Saint Francis lead to 30-27. LIU would hang tight, hitting three free throws in the final minute to cap a strong second quarter and take a one-point deficit into the half at 33-32.
Both teams traded buckets in the opening minute out of the half before Saint Francis went on an 11-2 spurt to take a 46-36 lead. LIU would bring the lead back to single digits with a eight point run on a layup by Thomas and a pair of threes from Weise and Johnson to bring the score to 56-48 at 1:15 in the third. But it was a seven-point closing stretch as the Blackbirds were in foul trouble that put the game back in Saint Francis' hands.
That momentum would continue into the fourth as the Red Flash continued to hold a double-digit lead with strong shooting from the floor. The Blackbirds closed out the final two and a half minutes on a nine point run as the wire-to-wire victory would go to the Red Flash.
NOTES FROM THE NEST
- - Thomas finished with a career-high 22 points with nine made field goals. She has scored in double figures in 10 games this season.
- - Johnson has scored in double figures in three straight games.
- - The Red Flash controlled the glass, outrebounding LIU 43-37.
- - The Blackbirds dished out a season-high 19 assists with Weise recording five assists and Johnson along Misir adding four assists each.
UP NEXT
The Blackbirds welcome Robert Morris to the Steinberg Center on Monday, January 14 for a 7:00 p.m. start.