Gatling's 23 Points Lead Women's Basketball Past Assumption, 86-64

1/4/2014 5:35:00 PM

Box Score

BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (Jan. 4, 2014) - The LIU Post women's basketball team used a 48-point second half to defeat Assumption, 86-64, in a non-conference tilt Saturday at the Pratt Recreation Center in Brookville, N.Y.

The Pioneers (6-4) were led by senior forward Shayna Gatling (Baldwin, N.Y.), who tied a career-high with 23 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the field. She also hauled in six rebounds, came away with two steals and added an assist.

Assumption (7-5) got off to a hot start, scoring the game's first seven points, before the green and gold got on the board when junior guard Chelsea Williams (Copiague, N.Y.) drained a three from the wing. The Pioneers would chip away at the Greyhounds' lead and go on top 16-14 after Williams hit another three with 11:49 left in the opening half.

The two squads battled back and forth throughout the rest of the period, until LIU Post went in front for good (28-27) on a jumper by senior forward Dominique Pagan (Bronx, N.Y.) at the 5:40 mark. The hosts soon brought a 38-35 advantage into the break.

LIU Post capitalized on 11 Assumption miscues in the opening session, and outscored the Greyhounds 14-2 off those turnovers in the process.

The green and gold came out of the gate hot in the latter half, rolling off a 30-10 run to extend their lead to 70-47 with 9:03 remaining in regulation. Senior guard Alexis Peters (Dorchester, Mass.) netted eight points to lead all scorers in the burst. Gatling chipped in seven. Pagan had six.

The Pioneers continued to pour it on from there, going up by as much as 30 points (86-56) with 1:58 to go, and sealing their third win in the last four contests.

Williams finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and three steals. Senior guard Kiki Sears (Hampton, Va.) amassed 11 points, six assists and five steals. Peters poured in 12 points, while Pagan collected nine rebounds and eight points.

Head Coach Deirdre Moore and the Pioneers are back in action Wednesday (Jan. 8), as they return to East Coast Conference play versus Bridgeport at the Pratt Recreation Center in Brookville, N.Y. The opening tip is scheduled for 5 p.m.