(Box Score)

3/15/07-- Iona came back from a 12-point deficit with 10 minutes left in regulation to turn the tables on the Long Island women's basketball team and hand the Blackbirds a 91-79 loss in the first round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament. The loss spoiled a sterling performance from the floor by freshman Valerie Nainima (Suva, Fiji), who tied a career high with 30 points. Long Island shot 57 percent for the game, including 78 percent in the first half, but it would not be enough to come away with the win.

Long Island (22-9) led 68-56 with 10:57 left on the clock, but Iona went on a 17-5 run to tie the game at 73. The Gaels took their first lead since early in the second stanza on a layup by Martina Weber. The Blackbirds battled back to knot the score at 78, but Iona score 10 straight points to take control of the game for good and force Long Island to foul. The Gaels made their free throws in the final minute to seal the win and advance to play Indiana in the second round of the WNIT.

Iona (21-12) prevailed despite seeing Long Island go on a 20-6 run to start the second half. The teams went to the locker room with the Gaels leading 46-41, but the Blackbirds tightened the screws on defense and forced four straight turnovers to open the half. Junior Mikaelar Whippy (Suva, Fiji) had a pair of fast breaks on the first two turnovers. She found her fellow Fijian Nainima on both, as Nainima scored on a layup and a three-pointer.

Later in the run, freshman Connie James (Galloway, N.J.) fed senior Sara Oblak (Skofja Loka, Slovenia) under the basket with a long, fast-break pass. Oblak up-faked a pair of Gaels and scored the layup to put Long Island up 50-46.

Despite the scoring run, Iona kept hanging around. The Blackbirds were unable to keep the Gaels off their heels an Iona snuck their way back into the game, eventually going on the aforementioned 17-5 run largely on the fact that post players freshman Minna Sten (Turku, Finland) and Oblak picked up four fouls relatively early in the second half.

Nainima tied her career high of 30 points despite missing significant time in the first half after picking up two fouls. She shot a perfect 6-for-6 from three-point land, one off of the NCAA record. The Northeast Conference Player and Rookie of the Year shot 10-for-15 from the field.

Whippy added 13 points and Sten chipped in eight, including a pair of trifectas.

Four Gaels scored in double figures, led by Weber's 27. Tiara Headen scored 15 points, all in the second half. Lauren DeFalco added 14 points and Toni Horvath contributed 13.

The loss wrapped up the best season in Long Island history, as the Blackbirds set a program record with 22 wins.