Bulldogs battle Blackbirds in final game of 2016, Saturday at 2 p.m. in Brooklyn

BROOKLYN, N.Y. - The Bryant University women's basketball team wraps up 2016 at LIU Brooklyn on Saturday at 2 p.m.

GAME NOTES

THE SERIES
This contest marks the 13th meeting between the Bulldogs and Blackbirds with the series in Bryant's favor, 9-3.

SCOUTING THE BLACKBIRDS
The Blackbirds enter Saturday's contest on a one-game winning streak after defeating Mount St. Mary's, 63-60, in their NEC opener on Thursday in Brooklyn. Prior to the conference win, LIU had its only other win against Stony Brook this season. The Blackbirds average 17.3 points less than their opponents this season in part to their tough non-conference schedule, including the team's, 113-54, loss to then No. 7 Ohio State. Both the Bulldogs and the Blackbirds put up similar shooting numbers with Bryant having a slight advantage at the line. The Bulldogs should be able to clean up on the glass, as they average 7.5 more rebounds than their competitors, while LIU gives up 5.5 boards per game.

Shanovia Dove is the only Blackbird averaging double-digit points, leading the team with 14.2 per game off 33.3 percent shooting from the field, 28.4 percent from three and 78.4 percent from the line. The guard also averages the team's second most rebounds with 5.4 per game. Aja Boyd averages 9.6 points per game in her 11 starts this season. Boyd shoots a team high 50 percent from the floor after going 43-of-86, while knocking down 54.7 percent from the line.

ON THE ROAD
The Bulldogs have struggled on the road, starting just 1-5 this season with their only win at Vermont in the very first game of the season.

TRAILING AT HALF
The Bulldogs have yet to come back from a halftime deficit, beginning 0-4 when trailing at the break this season.

LID ON THE RIM
The Bulldogs' NEC opener at St. Francis Brooklyn marked the Bulldogs worst shooting total this season, as they finished 27.8 percent from the field off a 15-of-57 mark. After shooting 11.1 percent in the first half, a season low, the Bulldogs bounced back in the second to shoot 45 percent in the second half. The only area the Bulldogs consistently shot well from in the game was the line, connecting on 88.2 percent of attempts.

OPENING NEC PLAY
The Bulldogs have gone 9-7 in the first two NEC games of the season, including last year's 2-0 start that resulted in the Black and Gold's best-ever conference start at 10-0.

DRY SPELLS
In their NEC season debut, the Bulldogs went scoreless for much of the second quarter in which they shot a season-low 7.1 percent from the floor. During the dry spell, St. Francis Brooklyn went on a 16-0 run to take a commanding 31-11 halftime lead. Maine combined its three 13+ runs for 40 points, ultimately holding the Bulldogs scoreless for 13:46 during the three stretches. Bryant was held scoreless for 6:21 at Massachusetts, the longest stretch this season. The Bulldogs faced a number of major dry spells from the field at Pitt, including 8:31 in the second quarter without a field goal in which the Black and Gold turned the ball over eight times. In the third, the Black and Gold went 3:18 without a bucket from the floor, before facing a seven-minute stint without a made basket from the end of the third into the start of the fourth. Freshman Stephanie Lesko's last-minute three ended the Bulldogs 4:02 field goal-less stretch to end the fourth.

GIVEAWAYS
The Bulldogs average 20.6 turnovers a game, giving up a season-high 25 at Pitt. The Black and Gold have coughed up the ball 20+ times on eight occasions. This season, the Bulldogs have given up 222 points off turnovers, allowing a season-high 31 against Maine. The Black and Gold tally 158 points off opponents' giveaways, including a season-high 24 against Vermont.

O'CANADA
Klein has tallied her fourth 20+ point game against UMass Lowell, putting up a game-high 26 points, which earned her NEC Player of the Week. The senior forward also scored 26 points in the Bulldogs' home opener against Holy Cross. The other 20+ point games include Vermont and Pitt. Klein averages a team-high 17.0 points per game. Klein has tallied three double-doubles this season, most recently leading the Bulldogs with 14 points and 10 rebounds at St. Francis Brooklyn.

QUARTER BREAKDOWN
Of the 49 periods the Bulldogs have played this season, including the overtime against Holy Cross, they have outscored their opponents on 21 occasions. In their largest quarter differential, Bryant outscored St. Francis Brooklyn, 20-8, in the final period on the contest. The Bulldogs scored a season-low four points in the third quarter at Rutgers and at St. Francis Brooklyn, going just 1-for-13 and 1-for-14 from the floor, respectively. Bryant has tied their opponents in three quarters.