UMBC 57, LIU 45: Tempo-Free Recap

Outside Barclays Center prior to Wednesday's LIU Brooklyn doubleheader. (Photo by Ray Floriani/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

By Ray Floriani (@rfloriani)

BROOKLYN, NY - The shortest day of the year featured an early start. The UMBC and LIU women tipped it off at 5 p.m. at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The non-conference meeting featured two teams searching for some positive direction heading into conference play. UMBC was 2-9, having dropped nine consecutive contests. LIU entered at 1-9.

The Blackbirds would still have to search for the elusive second victory, as UMBC snapped a  streak dating to mid-November by defeating LIU, 57-45.  

The first five possessions:

UMBC: Missed FG, missed FG, 1-of-2 FT, missed FG, field goal

LIU: Turnover, turnover, missed FG, conventional three-point play, turnover

After five possessions, the score was tied, 3-3, with 6:31 remaining in the first quarter.

The remainder of the quarter did not fare much better, with the score knotted at 5. The efficiencies read as follows:

UMBC 33, LIU 31

The second quarter saw UMBC employ transition with some better results than the half court provided. The Retrievers still trailed at the half, 15-13, in a game where points were extremely hard to come by.

Offensively, both teams picked up early second half. LIU won the first four minutes, 8-5, (114 efficiency) to increase the lead to five. Laura Castaldo, a sophomore guard from nearby West Nyack, ignited UMBC’s attack from three-point range. Her outside shooting helped give coach Phil Stern’s club a lead it would not relinquish.

The Retrievers entered the fourth quarter leading by five. Early in the final stanza, five felt like fifteen. The simple elimination of turnovers and making shots kept the host Blackbirds in it and gave renewed hope. LIU got it down to one possession, yet never could draw even in that final quarter. UMBC maintained the lead, and momentum.

Possessions: UMBC 66,  LIU 67

Offensive efficiency: UMBC 86, LIU 67

Four Factors:

eFG%: UMBC 43, LIU 34

Free Throw Rate: UMBC 33, LIU 16

Offensive Rebound%: UMBC 21, LIU 42

Turnover Rate: UMBC 21, LIU 34

Leading scorers and EF:

UMBC - Tyler Moore 19 points, EF 25

LIU - Shanovia Dove 19 points, EF 29 (per minute 1.000)

What UMBC did well: Force turnovers. Of LIU’s 23 turnovers, 15 were courtesy of UMBC steals. LIU’s extremely high rate came with a price tag - UMBC led 22-6 in points off turnovers.

What LIU did well: Rebound. The huge differential in offensive rebounding percentage was courtesy of a 17-7 edge in offensive boards. Shanovia Dove, with a game-high 10 boards, had five on the offensive end.

UMBC, of the America East is 3-7, while LIU is 1-10. Neither team had a positive assist-to-turnover ratio. UMBC had 13 assists and 14 turnovers while LIU checked in with nine and 23 in the respective categories. The Retrievers had three in double figures. Taylor McCarley added 16, and Laura Castaldo chipped in with 15. LIU could have used some more scoring support, as Dove; with her 19, was the Blackbirds lone double-figure point producer. Dove had a nice stat-stuffing game, adding three steals to her 19 and 10. The senior guard was victimized by four turnovers, however.

Final thoughts:

“We gave a good effort, played hard and came out with energy early in the second half. Unfortunately, the shots did not fall. We have played a good non-conference schedule, which should have us ready for conference play. We have to do the little things, hit layups and free throws and focus on cutting down on our turnovers. We outrebounded them by 12, (43-31) which was a positive we can take from this. It is tough to swallow going 1-10. Now we have the (Northeast) conference. As usual, it is wide open and game-to-game, it’s decided by who shows up and makes shots.” - LIU coach Stephanie Oliver