Women's Basketball Wraps Up Regular Season With A 68-63 Road Win Over LIU

The Central Connecticut State women's basketball team wrapped up the 2024-25 regular season on Thursday night with a comeback 68-63 road win over the Sharks of Long Island University.  With the win, CCSU heads into the Northeast Conference Championship Tournament with an 11-18 overall record and a 10-6 NEC mark; which slots them as the number three seed in the tournament.  LIU, who will be the number eight seed in the 2025 NEC Championship, closes out its regular season with at 6-23 overall and 3-13 in conference play.  On Thursday, CCSU trailed, 61-59, late in the fourth quarter, when Belle Lanpher converted a traditional three-point play with 2:44 to play in the game to give Central a 62-61 advantage which they never relinquished.  Lanpher led all scorers in the game with 24 points, and she was joined in double figures by Meghan Kenefick with 13 points and Amaya Williams added 12 points for the winners.  On the glass for CCSU, Belle Lanpher led the team with seven rebounds and Kenfick added six boards.  Sirviva Legions and Janessa Williams led the host Sharks with 18 points apiece, and Williams finished with a double-double pulling down a game-high 10 rebounds for LIU.

GAME INFORMATION |BOX SCORE

Score:  CCSU 68, LIU 63
Records: CCSU (11-18, 10-6 NEC), LIU (6-23, 3-13 NEC)
Location: Steinberg Wellness Center |Brooklyn, NY

KEY MOMENTS

• LIU led by one, 15-14, after the first 10 minutes of play.  Dagny Slomack led Central with five points.
• The Sharks would again outscore the Blue Devils in the second quarter by a 21-18 margin to lead by four, 36-32 at halftime.  Belle Lanpher led CCSU with 13 points in the first two quarters.
• Central would begin its comeback in the third quarter, as Central finished the frame with a 15-11 scoring advantage to send the contest in the fourth quarter tied at 47-47.  Belle Lanpher had 17 points after three frames; followed by Meghan Kenefick with nine and Amaya Williams eight.
• The Blue Devils would score the first four points of the final quarter to take a quick 51-27 lead, but LIU responded with a 7-0 run to grab a 54-51 lead with 7:21 to play.
• CCSU trailed, 61-59, late in the fourth, when Belle Lanpher converted a traditional three-point play with 2:44 to play in the game to give Central a 62-61 advantage which they never relinquished.
• A hoop by Meghan Kenefick at the 1:23 mark upped Central's lead to three at 64-61.
• LIU cut that lead to one at 64-63 with 12 seconds to play.
• After a Sharks foul, Amaya Williams knocked down a pair of clutch free throws with 10 seconds to go to make the score, 66-63, in favor of CCSU, and after a timeout, a three-point attempt by LIU was off the mark, and Belle Lanpher was fouled with under one second to play, and she hit two free throws to make the final score, 68-63, in favor of the Blue Devils.
• CCSU outscored LIU, 21-16, in the fourth quarter.
• Thursday's game was the epitome of a see-saw affair with a total of 14 ties and 23 lead changes on the night.

NUMBER TO KNOW

22.6–Belle Lanpher's scoring average so far this season.

NOTES

• With her 24 points at LIU, Belle Lanpher has now scored a total of 1491career points.  Belle has reached double figures in all 19 games she has played this season and a total of 22 straight outings dating back to last season. So far this season, Lanpher is averaging a team-best 22.6 points per game. She has surpassed the 20-point plateau in 13 games this season. 
• With 13 points in the win over LIU, Meghan Kenefick has now reached double-digit scoring in 13 games this season.  She heads into the post season a four-game double figures scoring streak.
• With her 12 points on Thursday night, Amaya Williams has reached double-digit scoring 12 contests so far this season, and three games in a row.
• CCSU dominated the glass on Thursday outrebound the Sharks, 36-26.
• Amaya Williams and Meghan Kenefick are the only two Blue Devils to play in all 29 of the team's games this season.
• Central swept this year's season series with LIU having won 52-48 in New Britain in January to go along with tonight's triumph.

UP NEXT

• Postseason women's basketball returns to Detrick Gymnasium for the first time in 10 years, when the Blue Devils host a 2025 Northeast Conference Championship Tournament Quarterfinal game on Monday, March 10 at 7:00 p.m., as third-seeded CCSU will welcome sixth-seeded Chicago State.