Bulldogs host Colonials in Monday's ESPN3 contest

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University women's basketball team returns in front of the cameras, taking on Robert Morris on Monday at 8 p.m. on ESPN3.

GAME NOTES

THE SERIES
This contest marks the 18th meeting between the Bulldogs and the Colonials with the series heavily in RMU's favor, 13-4. The Colonials have defeated the Bulldogs in four of their six appearances on TV.

SCOUTING THE COLONIALS
The Colonials enter Monday's ESPN3 game on a nine-game winning streak, after most recently defeating Central Conn., 62-39. The RMU win streak has helped them sit atop the NEC standings tied with Sacred Heart at 12-3 with three games to go. The Pioneers have the tie-breaker, having defeated the Colonials in Fairfield to begin league play.

The Colonials top the conference's stat sheet in six categories, including scoring defense (57.2), scoring margin (+5.7) and field goal percentage (41.5).

RMU is led offensively by Anna Niki Stamolamprou, who sits second in the league at 15.9 points per game. Megan Smith and Rebecca Navarro are also on the conference top-30 scoring list, averaging 11.3 and 9.0 points per game respectively.

LAST VS. THE COLONIALS
A low-scoring first half, gave way to an explosive second half for the Colonials, as they ran away with the 62-46 win. After shooting under 20 percent in the first half, the Colonials' shooters came alive in the third, as the team connected on 7-of-10 from the floor, outscoring Bryant, 21-15. RMU went on an 8-0 and 7-0 run, outscoring the Bulldogs, 23-14, in the final 10 minutes. The Bulldogs still remain winless at the Sewall Center.

AT THE POUND
The Bulldogs hold the best home record in the league at 9-2, which boasts well for the Black and Gold, as they play five of their final six regular season games at home. In the first meetings with the final six teams, Bryant went 2-4.

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION
Bryant's game against Robert Morris will mark the 10th time the Black and Gold have appeared on ESPN3 in Division I, posting a 3-6 record on the broadcast. Robert Morris has handed the Bulldogs four of their six national broadcast defeats, including NEC Semifinal losses on March 9, 2016 (72-59), March 12, 2014 (72-67) and March 11, 2015 (68-62). Two of Bryant's three national broadcast victories occurred in the 2015-16 season, as they defeated Robert Morris, 71-65, on Jan. 23 and Central Connecticut, 65-53, on Feb. 1. The Bulldogs first-ever ESPN3 win came at Fairleigh Dickinson on Feb. 16, 2015, when the Bulldogs took it, 63-61.

DOING THE DISHES
Sophomore Kierra Palmer averages 4.92 helpers per game, placing her first in the conference. She has recorded six 7+ assist games, most recently tying the Division I program-best 14, previously set by Palmer last season. The point guard's 14 assists helped the Bulldogs to a new season-high 22 assists against Saint Francis U.

70+ POINTS
When scoring 70+ points, the Black and Gold are 5-0, defeating Holy Cross, Brown, UMass Lowell, Mount St. Mary's and Saint Francis U.

FIVE GUYS
For the second time this season, five Bulldogs finished with double-digits points against Saint Francis U., including two players off the bench. Senior Alex Klein finished with a game-high 18 points off 5-for-11 overall mark and 8-for-10 shooting from the floor. Palmer and senior Morgan Olander both totaled double-doubles; Palmer with 12 points and 14 assists and Olander with 13 points and 13 rebounds. Freshman Masey Zegarowski tied her career-high 14 points off a 4-for-9 tally from three, while sophomore Haley Connors added 11 points off 50.0 percent shooting from behind the arc.

FROM DEEP
The Bulldogs have shot under 30 percent from three in 16-of-24 games this season, hitting less than five from deep in 15 of the games. In Bryant's worst performance from deep, the team went 1-for-16 from behind the arc in the season opener at Vermont. After facing the program's worst three-point shooting percentage in Division I for the last several weeks, the Bulldogs have gone 30-for-85 (35.3 percent) in the past four games, now averaging 28.1 percent from deep. The improved outside shooting has helped the Black and Gold move to ninth in the league in three-point percentage, but still remain last in threes made in a game at 4.00. The Bulldogs most recently made a season-high 11 threes against Saint Francis U.

OLANDER
Olander recorded her second double-double of the season and ninth of her career against Saint Francis U. off 13 points and 13 rebounds. The center's 13 boards marked her 17th double-digit rebounding game of her career. Olander also finished the game with three assists, two blocks and three steals in 30 minutes of play.