Miami University
LIU Brooklyn
Miami Knocks Off LIU Brooklyn to Advance to Championship
12/29/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Box Score | Box Score (PDF) 
| Coach Wright Postgame
BOCA RATON, Fla. -- The Miami University women's basketball team opened play at the FAU Holiday Tournament with a 68-49 win over LIU Brooklyn on Tuesday evening in Boca Raton, Florida. The RedHawks improve to 6-4 on the season, while the Blackbirds fall to 2-8.
Miami overcame a slow start offensively with a great defensive effort. For the game, the Red and White held LIU to 25.9 percent (14-for-54) shooting, including only 26.1 percent (6-for-23) from behind the arc. The RedHawks put the game away with a 24-0 run that spanned the second and third quarters.
It took nearly five minutes for Miami to get on the board to start the game. Despite that, the RedHawk defense held strong in allowing LIU Brooklyn to only take a 4-0 lead. A three-pointer from freshman guard Kendall McCoy, followed by a jumper from sophomore guard Baleigh Reid put Miami on top for the first time at 5-4, before its offense went cold again. The Blackbirds answered with a 7-0 run over the next four and a half minutes, before a three-pointer from freshman forward Kristen Levering with 37 seconds to go made it a 12-8 score at the end of the first quarter.
Levering drained another three-pointer to open the second quarter. LIU followed with five straight points. A trey from Shanovia Dove gave it a 17-11 advantage with 7:00 remaining the period. It would be the last points the Blackbirds would score over the next 9:09.
A layup from sophomore guard Kayla Brown began the Miami comeback. A three-pointer by Reid tied the score at 17, while a layup from Levering put the `Hawks in front for good. A triple from freshman guard Leah Purvis made it 24-17 at the 3:04 mark. Back-to-back layups from senior forward Tamira Ford helped MU close the half on a 20-0 run and send the RedHawks into the break leading, 31-17.
Miami shot 50 percent (11-for-22) for the half, while holding LIU Brooklyn to 28.0 percent (7-for-25) shooting. Reid and Levering tied for the team lead with eight points apiece.
Reid and sophomore guard Ana Richter hit back-to-back layups to open the third quarter to give the RedHawks a 35-17 advantage. The Blackbirds hit a free throw at the 7:51 mark to end their scoring drought and finish Miami's run at 24-0. Reid continued to drive to the basket as she put in a pair of layups, while sophomore forward Molly McDonagh scored four points to give the `Hawks their largest lead at 46-26 with 3:32 to go. LIU got its offense going as it closed on a 10-2 run to pull within 12 at 48-36 at the end of the quarter.
Richter had a layup, while Purvis drained a three, but a pair of triples by Dove helped get LIU Brooklyn to within seven at 54-47 with 4:02 remaining in the contest. On the next trip down the court, Brown was fouled shooting a three-pointer. She calmly drained all three free throws to return the lead to double digits. Miami closed the period 14-for-15 from the free throw line, while holding the Blackbirds to only two points the rest of the way as it finished off the 68-49 win.
Reid led the RedHawks with 17 points, while Levering had 12 points and seven rebounds. Purvis finished with eight, while Brown scored seven in her season debut. Miami shot 45.7 percent (21-for-46) from the field and 87.5 percent (21-for-24) from the free throw line. The Red and White held a 37-33 advantage on the boards.
Miami advances to the championship game on Wednesday where it will take on the host FAU Owls. The game will start 30 minutes after the conclusion of the consolation game, at approximately 7:15 p.m. An audio broadcast will be available on WMOH, as well as Miami College Sports Live.
