Posted: Jan 20, 2010

BULLDOGS LOOK FOR THREE IN A ROW AT QUINNIPIAC THURSDAY, TIP-OFF 5 PM

January 20, 2010

BULLDOGS LOOK FOR THREE IN A ROW AT QUINNIPIAC THURSDAY, TIP-OFF 5 PM

SMITHFIELD, R.I. - The Bryant University women's basketball team returns to Northeast Conference action on Thursday, when the Bulldogs travel to Hamden, Conn. to take on Quinnipiac in the TD Bank Sports Center at 5:00 p.m. The Bulldogs (6-11, 3-3 NEC) are playing their best basketball of the season, coming off back-to-back victories over the Bobcats (9-8, 4-2 NEC) and Yale. Led by senior captain Kelsey O'Keefe's career-high 34-point performance, the Bulldogs defeated the Bobcats on Saturday, 72-62. The win dropped Quinnipiac to 4-2 in the NEC while it evened Bryant's conference mark to 3-3. The Bulldogs now lead the overall series, which dates back over 30 years, 16-12. In its third game in five days, Bryant played its final non-conference game of the 2009-10 season on Monday against Yale. Bryant defeated the Eli's, 69-62, in the second edition of the "Battle of the Bulldogs." The squad is looking for its first three-game winning streak of the season.

Not unlike any of the past three seasons, the Bulldogs are led by their 6-foot-1 forward. O'Keefe is averaging a team-high 14.7 points per game, however, over the past four games; the Massachusetts native is averaging over 20. The senior has scored 1,597 points in her career, good enough for third place all-time.

Quinnipiac is led by seniors Courtney Kaminksi and Kathleen Neyens. Kaminski averages a team-high 13.2 ppg while Neyens contributes 11.8 ppg of her own. Sophomore Jacinda Dunbar also averages over 10 ppg and pulls down a team-high 7.9 rebounds per game.

SCOUTING THE BOBCATS
Quinnipiac is averaging 65.1 ppg, good enough for fourth in the NEC. The Bobcats are also the best free throw shooting team in the league, boasting a 73.6 percentage from the line. Based on the past two games for Bryant, where a total of 47 fouls have been called on the Bulldogs, free throw shooting will play a vital role in tonight's action. Quinnipiac also averages a league-best 43.6 rpg. In the NEC, Courtney Kaminski and Kathleen Neyens are ranked 11th and 13th in points per game, respectively. Kaminski is also in second place in the conference in free throw shooting percentage. She is 62-70 on the season for an 88.6 free throw shooting percentage.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
With her 33 and 34 point performances on the past two Saturdays, Kelsey O'Keefe has the two highest single-game point totals in the Northeast Conference this season. She is currently ranked eighth in the NEC, averaging 14.7 ppg.

The Bulldogs are shooting well from long-range this season and are currently in fifth place in the NEC in 3-point shooting percentage, averaging 34 percent from beyond the arc. Bryant is third in 3-point shots made with 101 on the season. Coming into today's contest, sophomore Lekia Cowen is ranked third in the NEC, shooting 44.2 percent from long range.

Bennett, who prides herself on defense, is ranked first in the conference in blocks (28) and blocks per game with (1.65).

CRASHING THE BOARDS
The Bryant Bulldogs have outrebounded their opponents in 12 of 17 games so far this season, including five of six victories. Bryant is currently ranked second in the NEC in rebounding, averaging 41.5 per game. The Bulldogs are third in the NEC in rebounding margin, averaging 3.5 boards better than its opponents. In the NEC, Siamone Bennett and Kelsey O'Keefe are ranked 14th and 19th, respectively, in rebounds per game. Bennett is averaging 6.4 boards per game while O'Keefe grabs 5.9 per contest. Bennett is also second in the conference in offensive rebounds. The 6-foot-2 forward pulls down and average of 3.63 offensive rebounds per game.

THE GENERAL'S NIECE
Freshman Danielle Douglas, the niece of former NBA great and Syracuse University standout Sherman Douglas, is coming into her own at Bryant. Douglas has now started six consecutive games for the Bulldogs and is coming off the best performance of her young career. Douglas scored a team-high 12 points, and recorded career-highs in assists (8), steals (8) and blocks (3). Her eight steals against Yale puts her in second place in the Bryant record books for steals in a game. Douglas is also shooting 82.1 percent from the free throw line.

O'KEEFE MOVES INTO 3RD PLACE ALL-TIME
With a layup just 1:26 into the Bulldogs 82-74 victory at Colgate on Tuesday, Dec. 1 senior captain Kelsey O'Keefe passed Stephanie Ladd for third place all-time on the Bryant scoring list. O'Keefe now has 1,597 career points to go along with 749 career rebounds.

DOUBLE OR NOTHING
O'Keefe earned her second double-double of the season in the loss to Hampton University in the consolation game of the Sun & Fun Classic on Dec. 29 in Miami. O'Keefe recorded 12 points and posted 10 boards en route to her 26th career double-double. Earlier in the season, teammate Siamone Bennett scored 22 points and pulled down 10 boards against Long Island for her second double-double of the season. Earlier in the season Bennett registered 10 points and gathered 13 boards against Patriot League affiliate Holy Cross in mid-November.

UP NEXT
Bryant will return to Connecticut in two days on Saturday, Jan. 23 when the Bulldogs travel to Fairfield for a matchup with Sacred Heart. The Pioneers, the defending league champs, are currently in first place in the NEC and boast a perfect, 6-0 conference mark.