Baltimore, Md.— UMBC women's basketball mounted a comeback in the second half, but a hot shooting LIU Brooklyn squad came away with a 66-52 victory on Friday night. Lakiah Sims (Riverdale, Ga./Charles Drew/Palm Beach State) led the way with 13 points on 6-6 shooting.

UMBC falls to 1-3 on the year, as LIU Brooklyn improves to 2-1.

The Retrievers would get on the board first with a Janee'a Summers (Bound Brook, N.J./Bound Brook) three, but the Blackbirds were the aggressors in the first. LIU Brooklyn went on a 12-0 run midway through the quarter to take a 12-3 lead before an Allison McGrath (South Park, Pa./South Park) three ended the run.

Each team would exchange baskets early in the second with Sims providing a spark off the bench. Sims scored four quick points on back-to-back possessions to cut into the lead.

Brittani Burgess (White Plains, Md./St. Mary's Ryken/VCU) would continue the run, scoring seven straight to cut the deficit to five. However, the Blackbirds would hold the Retrievers without a field goal for the final six minutes of the half to take a 30-20 lead into the break.

UMBC was led by Burgess with eight points, shooting 29 percent from the floor as a team.

LIU Brooklyn opened the third on a 13-2 run to distance themselves from the Retrievers early in the second half. However, the Retriever bench provided a much needed spark, as Sims hit five of her game high 13 during the third quarter. Freshman Natalia Louhisdon (Monmouth Junction, N.J./South Brunswick) had a put back during the Retriever run to cut the deficit to 15. However the Blackbirds would keep the Retrievers at bay, taking a 66-52 victory on Friday.

The Blackbirds had a hot shooting night from Denisha Petty-Evans, who scored 26 points on 8-16 shooting, 6-11 from three. Jeydah Johnson added 22 points for LIU Brooklyn.

UMBC was led by Sims who scored 13 points on 6-6 shooting. Burgess tied a career high with eight points. Louhisdon scored a career best eight points, as nine Retrievers scored in the contest.

UMBC returns to the court on Tuesday, Nov. 21 when they take on local-rival Towson at 11 a.m. in Towson.