SMITHFIELD, R.I.—The LIU Brooklyn women's basketball team opens the New Year with Northeast Conference action on the road at Bryant on Saturday afternoon. The Blackbirds will start their league slate on the road for the first time since the 2015-16 campaign.
QUICK HITS
- LIU closed out the 2018 calendar year and its non-conference schedule with a 55-50 win over Lafayette last Saturday at the Steinberg Center. Two Blackbirds scored double-figures as redshirt-sophomore Erykah Russell and freshman Brandy Thomas finished with 11 points. Thomas who garnered NEC Rookie of The Week for her efforts nearly finished with a double-double grabbing eight rebounds. Russell recorded five boards in her LIU debut. As a team, the Blackbirds committed a season-low 11 turnovers against the Leopards.
- Saturday will be the 18th matchup all-time between both teams. Last season saw the home team claim the victory in the season series, as LIU earned a 69-61 win on March 2, 2018 at the Steinberg Center. Denisha Petty-Evans and DeAngelique Waithe paced the Blackbirds with 20-point performances in the win.
- Bryant is coming into the new year with a 2-9 mark in non-conference action, falling in its last nine matchups. The Bulldogs rank second in the conference in rebounding margin (2.9) and rebounds per game (41.09).
- Two-time NEC Player of The Week honoree Sydney Holloway has paced Bryant early, averaging a double-double with 18.9 points and 12.3 rebounds per game. Holloway leads the conference in both categories and has registered eight double-doubles on the year. Kierra Palmer ranks among league leaders in assists with 4.0 assists per game.
UP NEXT
The Blackbirds continue the opening weekend of NEC play at Sacred Heart on Monday, January 7 for a 6:00 p.m. tip-off from the William H. Pitt Center.