Big second half propels Bulldogs to 81-73 win at Sacred Heart

FAIRFIELD, Conn. – A 48-point second half helped the Bryant University women's basketball team edge the Sacred Heart University Pioneers, 81-73, Monday afternoon at the Pitt Center in Fairfield.

GAME INFORMATION

Bryant 81, Sacred Heart 73

Records: Bryant – 4-12 (3-2 NEC), Sacred Heart – 6-11 (2-4 NEC)
Location: Pitt Center (Fairfield, Conn.)

COACH BURKE'S COMMENTS

"I'm proud of the players to come away from this weekend with two road victories, first with FDU and now with Sacred Heart. It's a very tough place to win. The team was really able to step in and give solid performances and score 81 points. I'm proud of the players' effort and their commitment to really play in for 40 minutes and get past some tough stretches early on.  

"The players knew that they were in foul trouble and not playing the best defense in the first half. They really zoned in the second half. They knew if we played good defense like we did at FDU and stayed out of foul trouble, they'd have a shot to win the game."

KEY MOMENTS

• After trailing for 31 minutes, junior Haley Connors (West Hartford, Conn.) hit a 3-pointer to give the Bulldogs a 62-60 lead with 6:29 remaining in the fourth quarter. SHU would tie the game on the next possession, but Bryant would grab the lead back and not surrender it for the remainder of the game.
• Junior Kierra Palmer (Aberdeen, Md.) banked in a deep 3-pointer with 2:41 remaining in the game and gave the Bulldogs an eight-point cushion.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Both teams started off with a barrage of baskets, ending the first quarter with 38 combined points. SHU held a 21-17 advantage early.
• The Pioneers won the second frame, as well, outscoring Bryant, 20-16. Sacred Heart's Tykera Carter had eight points in the quarter, connecting on two 3-pointers and hitting a pair of free throws.
• The Bulldogs scored 22 points in the third quarter to whittle the SHU lead down to 3. Connors hit a 3-point basket in the winding seconds to help the comeback bid.
• Sophomore Sydney Holloway (Morgantown, W. Va.) scored seven fourth-quarter points and Palmer added three as the Bulldogs scored 26 points in the final frame. The Bryant defense allowed just 15 to help pave the way to victory.

STATS

• The 81 points were the most in a game by the Bulldogs this season. They scored 48 second-half points, the most points in a half by the team, as well.
• The Bulldogs outrebounded Sacred Heart, 46-31. Holloway and freshman Hannah Scanlan (Rumson, N.J.) each led the game with 12 boards each.
• Both players also had double-doubles, as Holloway had a game-high 23 points, followed by Scanlan with 14. It was Scanlan's first double-double of her career.
• The Bulldogs turned the ball over 12 times in the first half, but had just five in the second half.

GAME NOTES

• Connors was 3-of-3 from 3-point range in Monday's game. In last season's Northeast Conference semifinal victory at Sacred Heart, Connors went 5-of-5 in the Bulldogs victory. She is 8 for her last 8 on 3-point attempts in the Pitt Center.
• Monday marked the third straight victory for the Bulldogs and lifted them to above .500 in conference play, with a 3-2 record against NEC teams.
• The starting lineup of Palmer, Naomi Ashley (Hamilton, Ont.), Masey Zegarowski (Hamilton, Mass.), Scanlan and Holloway is 3-0 this season, having also started last two games versus Central Connecticut and Fairleigh Dickinson.

UP NEXT

Bryant returns home Saturday, Jan. 20 for a 1 p.m. meeting with LIU Brooklyn at the Chace Athletic Center in Smithfield. Tickets for the game can be purchased here.