Box Score Box Score

BROOKLYN, N.Y. - Preseason All-NEC pick Ashley Palmer had 26 points and host Long Island led wire-to-wire as the La Salle women's basketball team dropped a 69-53 decision in the final game of the Courtyard LaGuardia Turkey Classic on Saturday afternoon.

Alexis Scott paced the Explorers (2-5) with 14 points, 10 of those in the second half. Jordan Mosley added 12 points and Nadia Duncan chipped in 11. Ebony Davis was the only other Blackbird in double figures with 14.

Scott was named to the All-Tournament Team. Palmer was named Tournament MVP and teammate Kiara Evans, along with Florida's Lanita Bartley and Jennifer George and Charlotte's Jennifer Hailey, were named to the All-Tournament Team.

Long Island (4-1) got out to a fast start, leading 14-0 until Scott made a jumper at the 14:26 mark. The Blackbirds pushed the lead to 18-3 before the Explorers closed the gap on a 7-0 run behind five points from Brittany Wilson and a Duncan layup, but the hosts responded to close out the half by outscoring the Blue & Gold 15-13 to take a 37-23 lead into the break. The Blackbirds shot a blistering 59.3 percent in the first stanza, shooting 16-of-27, while limiting the Explorers to just 31.3 percent.

The Explorers turned on the offense in the second half, at one point shooting 52.4 percent (11-for-21) at the 7:54 mark, while cutting the Blackbird lead to single digits on a three-point play by Scott to put the score at 56-48. They could not capitalize, however, as the hosts pushed the lead back to double digits by closing out the game on a 13-5 spurt for the final 69-53 score.

The Explorers outrebounded the Blackbirds 37-34, but LIU was helped by getting to the free throw line for 18 shots compared to the Explorers' seven.

The team remains on the road, traveling to West Virginia on Wednesday (11/30) for a 7 p.m. tipoff against the Mountaineers.