CCSU Comes From Behind to Top LIU on Monday

The Central Connecticut women's basketball team trailed by as many as 12 points in the second half, but came from behind to win for the fifth time in the last six games, topping LIU Brooklyn 75-70 on Monday night in New Britain.  With the victory the Blue Devils move to 9-8 overall and 5-1 in Northeast Conference play.  LIU falls to 5-12 overall and 2-4 in the league.

HIGHLIGHTS

Central had been 0-6 on the season when trailing at the half prior to Monday night.  The trailed by nine, 41-32, at halftime.  In the second half Central used a solid shooting performance and key free-throw shooting in the final minute of the game to come away with the victory.  Central finished the game 23-of-30 from the line in the game.

Senior Amanda Harrington posted her second straight double-double scoring 15 points and grabbing 12 rebounds, while junior TeJahne Malone posted a team-high 19 points on 6-of-10 shooting and 7-of-9 from the line.  She also grabbed five boards.

LIU's Sophie Bhasin led all scorers at halftime, making 9-of-12 from the field and posted 21 points.  She hit both of her three-point attempts as the Blackbirds went 16-of-35 from the field to lead 41-32 at the break.  She finished the game with a game-high 33 points.

Harrington led the Blue Devils with seven points and six boards at halftime.  Central turned the ball over seven times which led to 14 LIU points.  The Blue Devils made 13-of-16 free-throws before halftime but were only 9-of-30 from the field.  Harrington was 3-of-3 and the rest of the team went just 6-of-27, including 1-of-7 from three.

Central scored the first basket of the second half and then cut the lead to 43-36, but a quick 5-0 run by the Blackbirds, including another three from Bhasin, pushed the LIU lead to 48-36.  Sophomore Aleah Epps hit back-to-back threes for the Blue Devils to cut the lead to 48-42 with 16:50 to play.  Epps finished the game with 15 points and eight rebounds.  She also had three assists and a pair of steals.

Down 10, a 5-0 spurt for the Blue Devils, including a three from senior Kaley Watras, cut the LIU lead to 52-47 with around 13 minutes to play.  A quick three-point play from LIU made it 55-47.  Central answered with four straight points, including a pair of free-throws from junior Kayla Miller, to make it 55-51. 

Central forced a turnover and then back-to-back hoops from junior TaJahne Malone gave Central the 57-55 lead.  The run for the Blue Devils was 10-0 as they turned an eight-point deficit into a two-point lead.

Malone's turn-around jumper with just over five minutes to play gave the Blue Devils a 61-60 lead.  It was her third straight made field goal and her 13th points of the game. 

Back-to-back buckets from Malone and Harrington gave Central a 65-62 lead.  In the process Harrington grabbed rebounds 10 and 11 for her second straight double-double and third of the season.  Redshirt freshman Lauren Wolosik hit a pair of free-throws to push the lead to five, 67-62 with 2:45 on the clock.

A 5-2 spurt for the Blackbirds, all coming from the free-throw line for the visitors, cut the Blue Devil lead to 69-67 with 26.5 seconds to play.  Malone went to the line and drained a pair of free-throws for the Blue Devils to push the lead to four, 71-67. 

The Blue Devils hung on for the victory, their fifth in the last six games, to move to 5-1 in league play.

The Blue Devils return to action on Saturday, Jan. 24, hosting Wagner beginning at 1 p.m. in Detrick Gym.