Box Score AMHERST, N.Y. (Feb. 19, 2016) - On Friday night, the LIU Post women's basketball team fell to Daemen College, 57-53, in East Coast Conference play at Lumsden Gymnasium in Amherst.

The Pioneers (5-21, 5-13 ECC) and Wildcats (9-14, 7-10 ECC) played a tightly contested first half with the hosts taking a 32-26 lead into the break. LIU Post had eight different players contribute on the scoreboard and was led by junior forward Janaysia James (Perth Amboy, N.J.), who scored six points in seven minutes off the bench.

In the third quarter, the Pioneers fought back and got within one point (40-39) late in the period when junior forward Melsha Messam (St. Albans, N.Y.) capped an 8-0 run with a lay-up with just under two minutes to go. A Khea Gibbs (Norwalk, Conn.) lay-up with five seconds left made it a three-point game (44-41) heading into the fourth.

The green and gold opened the final quarter with a 5-0 burst that gave the Pioneers a 46-44 lead just over a minute into the period. A three pointer by James sparked the spurt. Then, with Daemen leading 51-48 with just over three minutes to go, Gibbs drained a trey to tie it at 51-all. From there, the Wildcats outscored the Pioneers, 6-2, in the game's final minute to seal the win.

James and Messam both posted double-doubles, as James scored a team-high 15 points and brought down 10 rebounds. Messam added 13 points and hauled in a team-best 12 boards. Gibbs finished with nine points, while freshman guard Shannon Doyle (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) chipped in five points, four steals, four rebounds and three assists.

Head coach Deirdre Moore and the Pioneers are back in action on Sunday (Feb. 21) when they take on Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester. The opening tip is slated for 2 p.m.