Sharks take a bite out of Terriers

Shoot for two-game Battle of Brooklyn sweep Thursday

January 28, 2021 John Torenli, Sports Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Aislinn Flynn and the LIU Sharks took round one of their two-game neighborhood rivalry series against the SFC Brooklyn Terriers last weekend. Photo courtesy of LIU Athletics

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Between postponements, delays and fanless arenas due to COVID-19, the Long Island University Sharks and St. Francis Terriers women’s basketball teams haven’t had much luck in staging anything resembling a normal season in Brooklyn this year.

But no matter when they play or who is or isn’t in the complex, the Sharks and Terriers still remember how to get after one another.

The less-than-friendly neighbors renewed their long-running Downtown/Brooklyn Heights rivalry last Saturday afternoon on Remsen Street as LIU won the first of two scheduled meetings between the squads with a 54-43 triumph at the Daniel Lynch ’38 Gymnasium.

Aislinn Flynn scored a game-high 14 points off the bench and fellow junior Brandy Thomas added 12 for the Sharks (2-5), who ended a season-high four-game losing streak by overcoming a 12-point first-half deficit.

Flynn got LIU going after the Terriers (1-6), who hadn’t hit the hardwood since Jan. 8 at Mount St. Mary’s, jumped out to a 16-4 lead.

She made a pair of layups and knocked down a 3-pointer on the way to a 6-of-9 shooting effort, sparking SFC to a 23-16 halftime advantage.

Thomas grabbed a team-high six rebounds and handed out three assists for the Sharks, who will try to complete a two-game series sweep Thursday night at the Steinberg Wellness Center.

Freshman Fruszina Horvath scored 11 points for the Terriers, who would like nothing better than to end their three-game skid on LIU’s home floor in the 28th Annual Battle of Brooklyn game.

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The St. Francis Terriers look to win their second straight Battle of Brooklyn game vs. the LIU Sharks Saturday on Remsen Street. Photo courtesy of SFC Brooklyn Athletics

Following the postponement of Tuesday night’s game against visiting Merrimack College, the LIU men’s team can almost begin looking forward to its Saturday afternoon Battle of Brooklyn game with SFC at the Steinberg Wellness Center.

The rivals will square off again on Monday to complete the two-game Northeast Conference set, but the Sharks (4-2) still hadn’t called off their Wednesday afternoon home game against Merrimack at press time.

Either way, the Terriers (4-3) will be ready and waiting to take the short walk or bus ride to Flatbush Avenue Saturday after sitting out for more than three weeks since sweeping NEC opponent Mount St. Mary’s here at the Pope Center from Jan. 7-8.

The always-heated contests could go a long way toward determining seeding in the NEC Tournament as LIU and SFC are currently deadlocked with identical 4-2 marks in conference play.

Though no fans will be admitted for this much-anticipated clash, Brooklynites eager to see the rivalry renewed can tune in to ESPN3 nationally or SNY locally.