Bulldogs aim to end two-game losing streak, host Wagner, Saturday at 1 p.m.

GAME NOTES

SMITHFIELD, R.I. - After recording back-to-back Northeast Conference losses, the Bryant University women's basketball team looks to get back on the winning path, as they host Wagner in the Play 4Kay game, Saturday at 1 p.m.

THE SERIES
This contest will mark the 13th meeting between the Bulldogs and Seahawks. Bryant leads the series, 11-1, recording its only lost to Wagner, 78-64, on Feb. 10, 2014 in Smithfield. Last time the two teams met, Bryant defeated the Seahawks, 82-71, in the Chace Athletic Center (Jan. 9).

SCOUTING THE SEAHAWKS
The Seahawks enter the contest at the bottom of the Northeast Conference with a 2-10 league record. Similar to the Bulldogs, the Seahawks have lost their last two, falling, 73-52, to FDU and, 59-50, against Mount St. Mary's. Despite having the league's leading scorer, Wagner has struggled to win games on the defensive side of the ball, allowing a league-low point margin of -12.5 points per game. Wagner is led offensively by Jasmine Nwajei, averaging 27.7 points per game, which ranks highest in the conference by a five-point margin. The 23-game starting guard has taken 42.3 percent of the Seahawks' shots in 2015-16, while making 46.2 percent of the team's baskets. Nwajei scoring efforts accounts for 46.8 percent of Wagner's total points this season. The junior put up an NEC record 53 points against Sacred Heart (Jan. 24) and 52 points at St. Francis Brooklyn a week later (Feb. 1).

GIVING UP THE LEAD
In back-to-back games, the Bulldogs have given up a double-digit lead, resulting in their first two conference losses. The Bulldogs had as high as a 12-point lead before losing to Saint Francis U., by 13, 85-72, on Feb. 8. At Robert Morris, on Feb. 6, the Colonials fought back from a 16-point deficit to defeat the Bulldogs, 55-53.

L2
The Bulldogs recorded their second loss of the New Year and second in NEC play at Saint Francis U. on Feb. 8. The Red Flash came back from trailing by 12 to tie the contest 40-40 at halftime. The home team would take the lead, 43-42, at the 8:49 mark in the third and never looked back, winning, 85-72. The Bulldogs' first loss came at Robert Morris on Feb. 6. The Colonials erased a 16-point Bryant lead, winning, 55-53, in the Sewall Center, where Bryant has never won a game (0-8). The Bulldogs outscored the Colonials in 3-of-4 quarters, including holding the Colonials to two single-digit scoring periods, but Robert Morris trumped the Bulldogs, 26-10 in the third quarter. The second half saw a Robert Morris 27-2 run that gave them their first lead of the game, in which they were able to hold onto for the remainder of the contest.

NEVER-NEVER LAND
The Bulldogs were ice cold from 3-point land at Saint Francis U. and Robert Morris on Feb. 8 and Feb. 6, hitting a combined total of five three on 36 attempts. Against the Red Flash the Bulldogs hit 4-of-20 (20 percent) from downtown and only 1-of-16 (6.3 percent) from behind the arc against the Colonials. Sophomore Ivory Bailey hit the Bulldogs' only three off three attempts, while senior Tiersa Winder went 0-for-5 and freshman Haley Connors shot 0-for-4 at Robert Morris. Bailey hit a team high two threes on seven attempts at Saint Francis U. 

DOUBLE THE TROUBLE
Three Bulldogs have earned double-doubles this season, led by senior Breanna Rucker, who notched her 13th double-double of the 2015-16 season at Saint Francis U. on Feb. 8, when she scored a team-high 18 points and tied her career record with 17 rebounds. Her performance marks her Rucker's fourth-straight double-double game. Rucker's 13 double-doubles rank first in the NEC and 12th in the nation. Sophomore Ivory Bailey recorded her fourth double-double of the season and fifth of her career off 10 points and 10 rebounds against Saint Francis U. (Jan. 25), marking two-straight games with such a performance. Junior Alex Klein logged her first-career double-double off 14 points and a game-high 16 rebounds against Brown (Dec 6). 

A TEAM OF FIRSTS
The Bulldogs sit atop a number of Northeast Conference charts this season. The Bulldogs rank No. 1 in the conference in rebounding offense (41.0), rebounding defense (31.8) and rebounding margin (+9.2), assists (14.57), assist-to-turnover ratio (0.80) and offensive rebounds per game (15.43)

NATIONAL ATTENTION
As a team, the Bulldogs occupy four top-100 spots in NCAA Division I statistics, including their highest rank of 11th for free throw percentage (.765). Forward Breanna Rucker has earned five rankings of her own, including a top-10 performance for offensive rebounds per contest (eighth).

'BOUNDS BY THE POUND
One of the Bulldogs' biggest strengths is their performance on the glass both offensively and defensively, outrebounding 21 of their 23 opponents. The Black and Gold currently outrebound their competitors by 9.2 boards per game, placing them first in the Northeast Conference and 15th nationally. Bryant has outrebounded opponents by double digits on 12 occasions, recording its largest margin (20) against Saint Francis U. on Jan. 25 and smallest positive margin (2) at Boston College on Dec. 30. Bryant has lost two contests this season on the boards, 36-33, at Central Connecticut on Feb. 1, and 43-42, at Robert Morris on Feb. 6. The Bulldogs also hold the top league spot in rebounding offense (41.0), with senior Breanna Rucker leading the team on the boards (11.0). The senior's performance on the offensive glass (4.55 per game) has earned her the top spot in the NEC and is good for eighth place nationally. Rucker's numbers on the boards have helped the team to grab a top-100 spot in rebounding offense (63rd).