Bryant squares off with Sacred Heart Saturday
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University women's basketball team returns to Smithfield on Saturday at 3 p.m. with Sacred Heart.
THE PARTICULARS
Opponent: Sacred Heart
Location: Chace Athletic Center (Smithfield, R.I.)
Date and Time: Saturday, February 16 – 3 p.m.
Tickets: Bryant vs. Sacred Hearts
TV: NEC Front Row
Live Stats: Sidearm Stats
Game Notes: Bryant
Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | #AllHeart #AllHustle | #NECWBB
PROMOTIONS
Bulldogs vs. Breast Cancer
Be sure to wear pink tomorrow as Bryant will be celebrating its annual Bryant vs. Breast Cancer game. 100 percent of the ticket proceeds will be donated to the Gloria Gemma Foundation to support the fight against breast cancer.
NEC LOVE AND BASKETBALL
The Northeast Conference and Bryant will be promoting the theme of Love and Basketball on Saturday. For the theme, the first 100 fans can enjoy donuts provided by Dunkin Donuts, and the first 200 fans will receive a Love and Basketball themed magnet.
THE MATCHUP
Sacred Heart visits Smithfield on Saturday, February 16 at 6 p.m. This will be the second time that the two teams meet this season and first that they the two teams will go head to head in Smithfield.
SCOUTING THE PIONEERS
The Pioneer post an 8-3 conference record coming off a two-game winning streak topping Mount St. Mary's and FDU.
Katherine Haines lead the Pioneers scoring 16.1 points a game. Haines has scored in double-figures during the last three conference games. Last time against Bryant, Haines dropped a game-high 20 points including two game-winning free throws.
SERIES HISTORY
Sacred Heart leads the all-time series after topping Bryant earlier this season, 49-48. The Pioneers hold the series at 16-6.
LAST TIME OUT: SAINT FRANCIS U 78, BRYANT 66
Saint Francis U topped Bryant in Loretto, 78-66, on Monday.
Senior Haley Connors (West Hartford, Conn.) led the Bulldogs with a career-high 24 points. Connors shot 8-of-16 from beyond the arc tying the program record at Bryant with most three's made in a single game.
Junior Sydney Holloway (Morgantown, W. Va.) chipped in 13 points and red-shirt seinor Naomi Ashley led on the boards with nine.
BIG BALLER, SHOT CALLER
Connors tied the program record at Bryant with most threes made in a single game with 8. She also tied the NEC's all-time single game record as well. Connors shot 8-of-15 from behind the three-point line at Saint Francis U. The senior tallied a career-high 24 points.
DISHING IT OUT
Kierra Palmer (Aberdeen, Md.) led the Bulldogs with a season-high 10 assists in conference opener vs. LIU Brooklyn. She currently leads the Bulldogs with 86 assists so far on the season and is ranked second in the NEC for assists per game with 3.8. Palmer is just one assist away from 500 and only six players in NEC's history has ever reached the milestone.
ZEGA-WHO?
Junior guard Masey Zegarowski (Hamilton, Mass.) has been a major contributor for the Bulldogs during their conference schedule. In Bryant's conference opener against LIU Brooklyn, Zegarowski posted a season-high 16 points. The Massachusetts native was one point shy from tying her season-high as she scored 15 points at FDU shooting 7-of-11 from the field. Most recently, Zegarowski shot 4-of-5 from beyond the arc at Robert Morris tallying 12 points. Zegarowski averages 9.7 points per game this season against NEC opponents.
WATCH ME WHIP, WATCH ME NAY NAY
Despite only averaging 6.1 points per game in the conference schedule, Naomi Ashley (Hamilton, Ont.) has proven that she is more than just a defensive player. Ashley has recorded double-figure scoring in the last three games for the Bulldogs. It started at Central Connecticut when Ashley scored a season-high of 15 points. She followed up the performance with back-to-back 12-point games against Robert Morris and Saint Francis U.
SHOOTERS SHOOT
Palmer notched a perfect 4-4 from three at Robert Morris. Against Mount St. Mary's, Palmer shot 5-of-6 from beyond the arc. In NEC play, Palmer has a three-point shooting percentage of .417. Zegarowski has also proven to be a sharp shooter during the conference schedule as she shot 4-of-5 at Robert Morris. She posts a .357 shooting percentage against NEC foes.
UP NEXT
Bryant continues its three-game home stand on Monday February 18 as Fairleigh Dickinson makes its way to Smithfield. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.