Bryant takes on Holy Cross Wednesday

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SMITHFIELD, R.I. - With the holidays on the horizon, the Bryant University women's basketball team battles the Holy Cross Crusaders in its only contest of the week, traveling to Worcester, Mass., for an 11:45 a.m. tip-off at the Hart Recreation Center.

THE SERIES

Holy Cross has won four of the team's five meetings dating back to the 1976-77 season.  Last year, Bryant came away with its first-ever win over the Crusaders at the Chace Athletic Center, a 59-47 victory on Dec. 19, 2010.  

The series dates back to the 1970s, when the teams squared off for the first time.  After a meeting in 1981, the teams did not face off again until Bryant became a Division I program in 2008.  

LAST TIME OUT

Highlighted by a double-double performance by sophomore Naana Ankoma-Mensa, the Bryant University women's basketball team earned a gutsy 56-48 victory over visiting Lafayette College on Dec. 11 at the Chace Athletic Center.

In a game highlighted by physical play and a handful of dead-ball stoppages, it was the Bulldogs who came out ahead, locking down in the final stretch and using some clutch shooting to move past the visiting Leopards, who finished the game with 27 turnovers.

For the fourth-straight game, a Bulldog recorded a double-double, as Ankoma-Mensa hit the mark for the third time in as many contests by virtue of a 15-point, 12-board effort to lead Bryant on the offensive end.  Also aiding the Bulldogs was a phenomenal outing from junior Danielle Douglas, who set new season and career highs with 20 points while tying a previous career high in steals with eight.

SCOUTING THE CRUSADERS

A winner of five-of-seven, Holy Cross enters Wednesday's matchup having dropped its last game at Boston College over the weekend.  Standing at an even 5-5, the Crusaders started the year with two straight losses, but picked up wins over Quinnipiac, Massachusetts, Harvard, New Hampshire and Northeastern in their current stretch.

Sophomore Alex Smith, who downed five three-pointers against the Eagles on Sunday, leads the team with 13.5 ppg, 55 assists and 17 steals.  Three other Crusaders average double figures in scoring, with Amy Lepley ranking second with 12.1 ppg, while rookie Emily Parker boasts 10.1 ppg to compliment a team-high 5.3 rpg.

The preseason No. 5 pick in the eight-team Patriot League, the Crusaders rank first in the conference in assists (16.3 apg), scoring offense (62.8 ppg), assist/turnover ratio (1.0) and field-goal percentage (40.0).  Individually, Smith is the conference leader in assists (5.4 apg), three-pointers made (2.3/game) and assist/turnover ratio (1.5).

LAST YEAR IN SMITHFIELD

Down by 10 points with just over eight minutes to play in the contest, the Bryant University women's basketball team went on a remarkable 17-0 run as the Bulldogs stormed back to down Holy Cross, 59-47, on Dec. 19, 2010 at the Chace Athletic Center.

With the Crusaders on top, 46-36, at the 8:00 mark, sophomore Danielle Douglas was the key catalyst in the run, getting things going with back-to-back baskets.  After a free throw by Siamone Bennett, freshman Courtney Schissler hit a 3-pointer to trim the lead to just one point. Bennett was then able to get to the line again and hit a pair of free throws for the late advantage. On the next play and with the momentum in Bryant's favor, Meredith Soper drilled a 3-pointer to pad the lead to four as the home squad held on for the eventual comeback victory.

Douglas led all scorers and matched a career-high with 19 points while Bennett added nine tallies and freshman Naana Ankoma-Mensa pulled down nine boards. As a team, the Bulldogs shot 39 percent from the floor while Alex Smith and Amy Lepley led the Crusaders with 14 and 12, respectively.

TWICE THE FUN

After missing double-double by a slim margin in three straight games from Nov. Nov. 19-27, the Bulldogs have recorded at least one double-double in the past four games, each recorded by either sophomore Naana Ankoma-Mensa or junior Meredith Soper, who now are even on the year with three apiece.

NOW IT'S NAANA'S TURN

After recording back-to-back games with 13 points and nine rebounds and missing a double-double by one board, sophomore Naana Ankoma-Mensa has eclipsed the mark in the last three games.

The Ontario native dropped 15 points and hauled 15 boards against Quinnipiac on Dec. 3, and established a new career record with an outstanding 17 rebounds in a win over Dartmouth on Dec. 7.  Most recently, she led Bryant with 12 boards to compliment a 15-point outing in a victory against Lafayette on Dec. 11.

Through the last three games, Ankoma-Mensa leads the team with 13.3 ppg and 14.7 rpg, and nearly averages a double-double on the season, posting marks of 11.8 ppg and 9.6 rpg through nine contests this season.

HIT THE ROAD, JACK

Bryant's last contest against Lafayette was its only home tilt in the entire month of December.  The Bulldogs have already played two previous road matches, and will play three more before the calendar turns to January: Holy Cross (Dec. 21), Central Connecticut (Dec. 28) and Columbia (Dec. 30).

The good news for the Bulldogs is the fact that Ankoma-Mensa has excelled away from Smithfield, averaging a double-double with 13.4 ppg and 11.8 rpg, all while registering a 47.6 field-goal percentage on 30-of-63 shooting.

CAN'T MAKE IT TO THE GAME?

Bryant University Athletics offers more ways than ever before to watch, listen or follow your Bulldogs during all the action even when you can't make it to the court!  Head to www.bryantbulldogs.tv for information about single-game and full- season broadcasting packages, where you can watch webcasts of the Bulldogs for most home games.  Live stats can be found at www.bryantbulldogs.com for every contest, and you can follow @BryantGameday on Twitter for score updates.

NEXT UP

Next week, Bryant wraps up December with a pair of road bouts against Central Connecticut (Dec. 28) and Columbia (Dec. 30).  

For continuing coverage of Bryant University women's basketball, check back at www.bryantbulldogs.com; and be sure to follow the Bulldogs on Twitter @BryantAthletics.