Bulldogs outlasted by St. Francis Brooklyn

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University women's basketball team fell to conference foe St. Francis Brooklyn, 60-55, in the second game of conference play in Smithfield.

Sydney Holloway (Morgantown, W. Va.) led the Bulldogs with 20 points and 20 rebounds, marking her second 20/20 performance of the season.

GAME INFORMATION
St. Francis Brooklyn 60, Bryant 55
Records: Bryant 3-10 (1-1), St. Francis Brooklyn 8-6 (2-0)
Location: Chace Athletic Center (Smithfield, R.I.)

COACH BURKE COMMENTS

"I thought as a team we did a great job defensively holding them to 18 points under their average. Unlike Saturday, we didn't have a great balance in scoring. Syd obviously had 20/20 but we really didn't have that balance that was necessary to get us over the top. When you're doing a great job offensively and can't make a basket it makes things really difficult."

KEY MOMENT

• Taty LaFrance Boyce (Norwich, Conn.) sank a three with 1:44 to go in the first half to tie the game 27-27.
• After five lead changes, St. Francis Brooklyn went on an 8-0 run late in the fourth quarter to go up by 10 with under a minute to go.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Immediately out of the gate, St. Francis Brooklyn's Maria Palarino sank a jumper from the paint to kick-start a 9-2 Terrier run.
• Masey Zegarowski (Hilton, Mass.) drove to the basket for a layup with two minutes to go in the first quarter to put the Bulldogs within four, but the Terriers answered with a layup on the other end to grow to a six-point lead going into the second quarter.
• At the 7:09 mark in the second quarter, Boyce entered the game and helped the Bulldogs go on a quick 4-0 run by finding Holloway in the paint and converting a steal into a two-point play to put Bryant within one.
• Before half, Boyce knocked down a three to tie the game at 27 apiece as Bryant held the Terriers to just eight points in the second quarter.
• Zegarowki and Haley Connors (West Hartford, Conn.) each knocked down a three to give the Bulldogs a six-point cushion to start the second half.
• The Terriers tied the game and took the lead on two different occasions in the third quarter but Holloway helped Bryant to a 6-0 run with just over four to go. Bryant led 44-42 going into the fourth quarter.
• After St. Francis took the lead with four minutes to go, Trinity Bravo (Bridgeport, Conn.) drove hard to the basket to get within two.
• St. Francis responded by going on an 8-0 run giving the Terriers a 10-point advantage with under a minute to go.

STATS

• Holloway posted a game-high 20/20 game in points and rebounds.
• Zegarowski chipped in 10 points, two rebounds and two steals.
• In just 15 minutes of play, Boyce contributed seven points, five rebounds and three steals.
• Connors led Bryant in assists with four while also knocking down two threes shooting 2-of-7 from behind the arc.
• Palmer added eight points shooting 3-of-9 from the field.
• Bryant out-rebounded the Terriers 46-40.

GAME NOTES

• Tonight marked the second game this season that Holloway has had a 20/20 performance as she compiled her tenth double-double of the season, 29th of her career.
• Boyce's three steals is a career-high.
• Bravo was the only player for the Black and Gold to post a multi-block game with a career-best of two.
• Bryant is now 14-6 in the all-time series against St. Francis Brooklyn.

UP NEXT: MOUNT ST. MARY'S

The Bulldogs hit the road for Emmitsburg, Md. to take on Mount St. Mary's on Saturday, January 12 before heading back up north to face Sacred Heart on Monday.