Holy Cross downs Bulldogs after 21-day break

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Junior forward Sydney Holloway (Morgantown, W. Va.) scored her 1,000th point during the Bryant University women's basketball loss to Holy Cross, 81-62.

Holloway reached the 1,000 point milestone off a free throw in the fourth quarter making her the fastest player in Bryant women's basketball Division I history to reach the milestone. The Morgantown native led the Bulldogs in today's game scoring 26 points and grabbing 13 rebounds.

GAME INFORMATION
Holy Cross 81, Bryant 62
Records: Bryant 2-9, Holy Cross 8-3
Location: Chace Athletic Center (Smithfield, R.I.)

COACH BURKE COMMENTS
"I thought we started off the game showing some of the rust from the 21-days off, but I thought we had a great second quarter by showing some energy and making some shots. At halftime, I felt we were going into the right direction and playing Bryant basketball, but in the third quarter Holy Cross re-grouped and got the momentum back. It's very unfortunate because I thought we worked hard the last 21 days and it did not show that today. There's a lot of urgency for us to get where we need to be for Saturday."  

KEY MOMENT

• Holy Cross jumped out to a quick 12-0 lead to start the game.
• Haley Connors (West Hartford, Conn.) hit a three to put Bryant within seven before the half.
• In the third quarter, Madalyn Smith hit a free throw to give the Crusader a 22-point lead, the biggest of the game, and the Bulldogs were not able to recover.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Holy Cross got out to a quick start going on a 12-0 run to start the game.
• After blocking a shot on the defensive end, Holloway drove the length of the court for a three-point play to put Bryant on the board and kickstart its scoring.
• With 26 seconds to go in the half, Bryant came within seven points of the Crusaders as Connors knocked down a three making the score 41-34.
• The Crusader's Lauran Manis hit a jumper in the paint right at the buzzer to put Holy Cross up nine going into the second half.
• After the break, Holy Cross sank a three-pointer to kick start an 11-5 run that would give the Crusaders a 15 point cushion at the first media timeout.
• The Crusaders grew to their biggest lead of 22 points at the 3:51 mark in the third quarter before Holloway scored six straight to put the Bulldogs within 14.
• Free throws were key for Bryant in the fourth quarter as the Bulldogs scored seven of its 13 points from the charity stripe.
• Kierra Palmer (Aberdeen, Md.) intercepted a pass for a fast-break layup to put the Bulldogs within 16 with six minutes to go, which is the closest that Bryant would get for the remainder of the game.

STATS

• Holloway led with 26 points and 13 rebounds shooting 8-of-20 from the field and 10-of-13 from the foul line.
• Connors scored 10 points in the second quarter hitting the only two three-pointers for the Bulldogs. The senior finished with 14 points shooting 67% from the field.
• Sophomore Hannah Scanlan (Rumson, N.J.) chipped in five points.
• Palmer dished out a game-high five assists.
• Trinity Bravo (Bridgeport, Conn.) was the second-leading rebounder for Bryant contributing five defensive boards. 
• Bryant shot 35.4% from the field as Holy Cross shot 46.2%.
• Holy Cross out-rebounded the Bulldogs 51-34.
• The Bulldogs shot 14-of-20 from the charity stripe.

GAME NOTES

• Holloway became the 25th 1,000 point scorer for the women's basketball program and was the fastest to do it in the D1 era. She currently ranks fifth with 1,002 points for Division I scoring leaders.
• Today was Holloway's fourth 20-point game of the season and her 11th double-double of the season, 47th for her career. Holloway also blocked a season-high of two shots.
• Connor's 14 points ended a two-game scoring drought for the senior. She is one three-pointer shy of hitting her 100th career three. 
• Today's game marks just the second game of the season that the Bulldogs have been out-rebounded.
• Bryant falls to 8-3 all-time against Holy Cross.

UP NEXT: LIU BROOKLYN
Bryant begins conference play on January 5 as LIU Brooklyn visits Smithfield for a 1 p.m. start.