Palmer scores career-high, but Bryant falls to UNH, 79-74

DURHAM, N.H. – The Bryant University women's basketball team fell to New Hampshire, 79-74, Sunday afternoon.

Four Bulldogs scored in double-digits including Haley Connors (West Hartford, Conn,), Brooke Bjelko (Plattsburgh, N.Y.), Sydney Holloway (Morgantown, W. Va.), and Kierra Palmer (Aberdeen, Md.). Palmer led the Bulldogs scoring a career high of 20 as Holloway posted her fourth double-double of the season with 15 points, 11 rebounds.

GAME INFORMATION
New Hampshire 79, Bryant 74
Records: Bryant 2-4, New Hampshire 1-5
Location: Lundholm Gymnasium (Durham, N.H.)

COACH BURKE COMMENTS

"Overall, when you look at the final score, UNH averages 56 points a game and we gave them 79, so it definitely wasn't our best defensive effort," said head coach Mary Burke. "The result does not negate the couple of good efforts that we had, like from Taty who I thought had good energy and did some nice things. Also Brooke who came in and gave us 10 points and gave a nice presence, so there's a lot of good things to take away from the game. In this early stage, we are continuing to tweak lineups and rotations."

KEY MOMENT

• To start the fourth quarter, the Wildcats posted a 10-2 run before Coach Burke called a timeout. After the break, New Hampshire continued the run to 12-2 growing its biggest lead of eight points that the Wildcats would not surrender for the remainder of the game.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Connors kept the Bulldogs alive in the first quarter scoring seven points off of free throws alone. 
• New Hampshire shot 61.1% from the field in the first quarter, compared to Bryant's 33.3%.
• Bryant went on a 12-2 run in the second quarter to take its first lead of the game. Bjelko led the second quarter with eight points.
• Naomi Ashley (Hamilton, Ont.) gave up a foul with two seconds to go in the first half, and the Wildcats sank both free throws to put the game within one. 
• To start the second half, there were 16 lead changes in the third quarter alone.
• Palmer led Bryant in the third quarter with seven points.
• New Hampshire started the fourth quarter going on a 12-2 run growing its biggest lead to eight points.
• The Bulldogs trailed by three with under a minute to go but the Wildcats grabbed an offensive rebound and drew a foul to go to the line to ice the game.

STATS

• Bryant out-rebounded New Hampshire 38-31.
• Palmer scored a career high of 20 points.
• Holloway posted her fourth double-double of the year with 15 points, 11 rebounds.
• Junior Taty LaFrance Boyce (Norwich, Conn.) scored her first points of her career as a Bulldog with five. The UConn Avery Point transfer also made her first career start.
• Connors shot a perfect nine for nine from the free throw line.
• New Hampshire out-shot Bryant from the field shooting 47.5% compared to the Bulldog's 42.6%.

GAME NOTES

• Bryant is now 4-3 against New Hampshire all-time.
• The Bulldogs have yet to be out-rebounded so far this season.
• The Black and Gold drop the 1-1 against America East opponents this season.
• This is the sixth consecutive game that Palmer has led the Bulldogs in assists. She tallies 29 so far this season.
• Today's game gives New Hampshire its first win of the 2018-19 season.

UP NEXT

The Bulldogs take the floor on Saturday, December 1 for the Ocean State Tip-Off hosted by URI. Bryant will matchup with Brown for the second time this season at the Ryan Center at noon.