WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J.- Monmouth University's women's basketball team fell 60-48 to Long Island University on Saturday afternoon at Boylan Gym.
LIU's Valerie Nainima, the reigning conference player of the year, exploded for 13 second half points to lead the Blackbirds past the Hawks. LIU also took care of the ball, committing just nine turnovers while hitting almost 50% of their shots from the floor. Monmouth turned the ball over 18 times and shot 40.4% from the floor, including just 28 percent in the first half.
LIU hit a pair of shots to start the second half, expanding on their seven point halftime lead. After Marbely Montas (Cranford, N.J./Elizabeth) hit her first shot of the afternoon Jennifer Bender (Staten Island, N.Y./Staten Island Tech) followed with an open layup and the Hawks found themselves back just four at the 15:43 mark. Mikaelar Whippy silenced the crowd with a three pointer and started a 7-0 LIU run. The Hawks were able to get just one shot to fall as Nainima heated up, scoring six points in a two minute span. The Hawks closed to gap, 44-38, but LIU's Chelsi Johnson continued to be a bother inside, answering with her 14th point of the game.
Brianne Edwards' Bloomfield, Conn./Suffield) three pointer at the 6:13 mark closed the deficit to 46-41 before LaKia Barber (Clinton, Md./Gwynn Park) made it a three point game with a fast break layup. Once again Nainima answered with a three pointer, restoring the Blackbird advantage to six. LIU's offense was able to push the lead to 10 with 90 seconds left in the game. Long Island would eventually claim a 60-48 victory to improve to 20-6 overall and 11-4 in conference play.
Monmouth fell behind early but two Bender shots, including a mid-range jumper, kept MU to within two in the first four minutes of the half. Long Island built a 16-8 lead after going on a 10-4 run over a five minute span. Bender got the Hawks into double digits after grabbing an offensive board and driving for a layup to cut the lead to six. Defense took over the game as neither team was able to convert a basket for over four minutes. Nainima hit a three to break the drought and put her squad up by nine. Back to back buckets by Marisa Jimenez (Carteret, N.J./Cateret) cut the lead to five with 4:31 to play in the first half. Monmouth trailed by just three after Bender hit a pair from the charity stripe but LIU went on a 4-0 run retake seven point advantage. Each team hit a shot in the final minute including a Jimenez runner with the shot clock winding down as LIU led 25-18 going into the half.
Bender led the Hawks with 19 points, 10 of which came in the first half. Jimenez was the only other MU player in double digits, finishing with 12 points.
Nainima's 24 points led all scorers while Johnson finished with 14 points and eight rebounds. Whippy also had 11 points in the win for the Blackbirds.
The Hawks held a 37-21 advantage in rebounds.
Monmouth, now 7-19 overall and 4-11 in NEC play, will face conference leaders Quinnipiac on the road on Feb. 25.
