Red-hot Bulldogs return home Saturday, host LIU Brooklyn at 1 p.m.

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University women's basketball team returns home to the Chace Athletic Center on Saturday when the Bulldogs host the LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds at 1 p.m. in Smithfield.

THE PARTICULARS

Opponent: LIU Brooklyn
Game Time: Saturday, Jan. 20 – 1 p.m.
Watch Live: NEC Front Row
Live Stats: Bryant
Tickets: Purchase

Game Notes: LIU Brooklyn | Bryant

SCOUTING THE BLACKBIRDS
LIU Brooklyn comes to Smithfield with a 7-9 record on the season and a 3-2 mark in conference play. Winners of their last two games, the Blackbirds are tied with the Bulldogs for third in the Northeast Conference standings.

Denisha Petty-Evans leads the team in scoring, posting 15.9 points per game in 2017-18. Deangelique White has been one of the top post players in the NEC, posting an average of 8.9 rebounds to go along with 10.8 points per game.

The Blackbirds are coached by Stephanie Del Preore, who is in her third season with the program. To date, Del Preore has led LIU Brooklyn to a 22-53 record.

SERIES HISTORY vs. LIU BROOKLYN
Saturday will be the 16th game between the two programs, with the Bulldogs boasting a 12-3 record over the Blackbirds. In Smithfield, Bryant is 7-1 versus LIU Brooklyn.

Both teams are entering the weekend tied for third in the NEC standings with a 3-2 record in the league.

NOTHING CAN STOP ME, I'M HOLLOWAY UP
In just her sophomore season, Sydney Holloway (Morgantown, W. Va.) has been one of the premier players in the conference. The Morgantown, West Virginia, native is currently third in the conference in scoring (16.9 ppg), second in rebounding (9.6 rpg) and 10th in blocks (0.9 bpg). She set a career-high in scoring with 28 points versus Central Connecticut on Jan. 6 and has posted eight double-doubles this season, which ranks 27th nationally.

AY NAY NAY
After a breakout season in 2016-17, redshirt junior Naomi Ashley (Hamilton, Ont.) has been a force for the Bryant Bulldogs through the early stages of the season. Ashley was a rebound shy of a double-double against Boston College, going for 12 points and nine rebounds. The highlight of Ashley's season came at Holy Cross when the red-shirt junior had 9 points, 12 rebounds and 9 steals against the Crusaders. Ashley has posted averages of 10.0 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.1 steals as a redshirt junior, all career bests.

SCANNING THE RECORD BOOK
Freshman Hannah Scanlan (Rumson, N.J.) scored 27 points in the Northeast Conference opener vs. Wagner. The 27 points were the most-ever by a freshman in the program's Division I era.

WOMAN OF STEAL
In a two-point overtime defeat at Holy Cross, Naomi Ashley set a Bryant Division I program record for steals in a game with nine. She bested the previous best of eight set by Danielle Douglas in the 2010-2011 season. The program record belongs to Beth Connealy (now Wandyes), who had 10 in a game versus Springfield in 1995. Ashley had another big theft game vs. Rhode Island, coming away with six steals vs. the Rams in the first round of the Ocean State Tip-Off Tournament. She collected her 100th career steal in the NEC opener vs. Wagner on Dec. 29.

BJELKO BUSTS OUT
Freshman Brooke Bjelko (Plattsburgh, N.Y.) played 29 minutes versus Mount St. Mary's and set career highs in points (12), rebounds (14), assists (2), field goals (3) and made free throws (6). Against the Mountaineers, Bjelko secured her first career double-double. In her next conference game, Bjelko scored 8 points and grabbed 7 rebounds versus Central Connecticut.

SCANLAN DOWN LOW
Freshman Hannah Scanlan has posted averages of 7.7 points and 5.6 rebounds for the Bulldogs in her first collegiate season. In NEC play, Scanlan has been dominant, averaging 12.0 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. She was named the NEC Rookie of the Week on Jan. 17.

EVERSON NAMED CAPTAIN
Bryant senior Kathleen Everson (Farmingville, N.Y.) was named a captain ahead of the 2017-18 season by head coach Mary Burke. Everson, a forward from Farmingville, New York, has set new career highs in points on two occasions. Versus Brown in the team's second game of the season, Everson scored 10 points against the Bears.

BRYANT ADDS TWO
Bryant University women's basketball added two future Bulldogs during the early signing period, receiving National Letters of Intent from Trinity Bravo (Bridgeport, Conn.) and Alexandra Hart (Saco, Maine).

TICKET TO RIDE
Season ticket packages are available for the 2017-18 Bryant University men's and women's basketball seasons. Fans can purchase tickets online at bryantbulldogs.com/tickets or by calling the Bryant Athletics Ticket Office at 401-319-TIXX.

FRONT ROW SEAT
Bryant University Athletics and the Northeast Conference are once again affiliated with the Pack Network and NEC Front Row, the home for all NEC men's and women's basketball broadcasts. NEC Front Row brings viewers an industry-leading video streaming solution for more than 100 Bryant University home contests during the 2017-18 athletic seasons, including live, free-of-charge, high-definition broadcasts of all Bulldog home women's basketball games. Live event productions include multiple camera angles, an on-screen scoreboard, state-of-the-art graphics and DVR functionality. Visit NECFrontRow.com for more information and a complete schedule of events.