SFU GAME NOTES | LIU GAME NOTES | NEC FRONT ROW (VIDEO) | LIVE STATS (LIU ATHLETICS)

BROOKLYN, N.Y.- Saint Francis women's basketball hits the road for the first time this conference season, traveling to the Big Apple for a pair of road games.

The Red Flash will open against the Blackbirds of LIU Brooklyn on Saturday afternoon at 2p.m. at the Steinburg Wellness Center. This is the second trip into New York City for the Red Flash this season. SFU dropped a tough 82-78 decision to Columbia on Tuesday, December 1st.

ABOUT THE FLASH
Saint Francis split the NEC opening weekend at DeGol Arena. The Red Flash knocked off the Wagner Seahawks 93-78. SFU got a career-high 35 points from Jessica Kovatch (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) and a career-high 16 points from Katie Reese (Boonton Township, N.J./Mountain Lakes) as the Flash put away the Seahawks in the fourth quarter. On Monday night, the Flash dropped a tough 81-77 contest to Sacred Heart. The Flash led throughout the first half until a 17-0 run in the third quarter sparked the Pioneers. The teams would trade the lead until a 7-0 run by Sacred Heart late in the fourth proved to be the difference. Overall, the Flash sit at 3-10 and 1-1 in Northeast Conference play heading into the weekend.

Saint Francis currently leads the NEC in points per game (76), blocks per game (4.77), steals per game (10.38) and assists per game (15.82)

ABOUT THE BLACKBIRDS
LIU comes into the contest at 2-0 in Northeast Conference play and 4-9 overall. The Blackbirds picked up wins on the road at Central Connecticut and Mount Saint Mary's last weekend. The Blackbirds were led by their defense, holding the Mountaineers to 51 points and forcing 28 turnovers and allowing just 45 points to CCSU. The Flash will look to keep LIU winless at home this season as the Blackbirds are 0-5 in the Wellness Center so far this year. The two teams are strikingly similar, ranking 6th and 7th in the NEC in both field goal shooting and field goal defense. LIU has been very stingy from three, allowing teams to shoot just 29 percent from deep so far this year. Offensively, Shanovia Dove led LIU with 19 points at CCSU while Shanice Vaughn had 12 in the win at the Mount. Dove and Vaughn are the only players averaging double figures at 13.9 and 10.3 points per game, respectively.

Ball handling will be the key to the game, both teams are at the top of the NEC in steals (SFU has a 10.35 to 9.88 steals per game average) and rank 1st (SFU) and 3rd (LIU) in turnover margin in the NEC.

ABOUT THE MATCH-UP
SFU leads the all-time series 43-17 over the Blackbirds. The teams split last season with each defending their home court. The Flash won in Loretto 87-75 and dropped a 84-79 contest in Brooklyn. SFU last won in the Wellness Center in the 2013-14 season, a 84-78 decision. Head coach Joe Haigh is 3-3 all-time versus LIU while this will be the first meeting against the Red Flash for LIU coach Stephanie Oliver.

LOOKING AHEAD
The Red Flash will stay in Brooklyn all weekend as they will take on defending NEC-tournament champions St. Francis Brooklyn on Monday night. Tip-off from the Pope Center is set for 7p.m..