Photo by: Eric Miller
Photo by: Eric Miller

Minnesota downs Bulldogs in Minneapolis

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Senior Masey Zegarowski (Hamilton, Mass.) led the Bryant University women's basketball team for the second-straight game against a Big Ten opponent, but the Bulldogs dropped a 101-56 decision to Minnesota on Tuesday night in Minneapolis.

GAME INFORMATION
Minnesota 101, Bryant 56
Records:
Bryant (1-5), Minnesota (5-1)
Location:
Williams Arena (Minneapolis, Minn.)

KEY MOMENT

  • Minnesota's explosive 16-0 run to start the game gave the Gophers the only lead it needed as the Bulldogs were unable to crack the double-digit deficit.

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • Minnesota got off to a hot start scoring the first 16 points of the game before Sydney Holloway (Morgantown, W.Va.) drove to the basket off a pick and roll to draw a foul. Holloway went on to get two at the stripe for the first set of points for the Black and Gold.
  • With under three minutes to go in the first frame, Alana Perkins (Wauwatosa, Wis.) drove through the lane to draw the help defender and dumped it off to Zegarowski in the short corner to fuel a 6-0 run, 18-8.
  • Bryant was only able to get off 10 shots in the first quarter as the Minnesota press forced ten turnovers in the first quarter alone.
  • Zegarowski kicked off the second quarter scoring the first two baskets for the Black and Gold to put the Bulldogs within 14, but the Gophers responded with a 9-0 run just before the media timeout.
  • Holloway fought for an offensive rebound and powered back through the defense for the first of the next five points that Bryant would put up. The two teams closed the half going basket-for-basket with a halftime score of 47-25 in Minnesota's favor.
  • The Bulldogs saw the free throw line the most in the second quarter shooting two-for-five from the stripe led by Kandis Taylor (Sunrise, Fla.) with two.
  • Minnesota opened the second half with a pair of layups before Nicole Gallagher (Foxboro, Mass.) rubbed her defender off a high ball screen from Brooke Bjelko (Plattsburgh, N.Y.) for the first Bulldog basket of the half, 51-27.
  • Taylor broke Minnesota's 11-0 run with just under two minutes to go in the quarter when she took the ball coast-to-coast and floated it off the backboard for two, 66-31.
  • Perkins sank a three with over 30 seconds to go to put Bryant within 33, but the Gophers sent the officials to the monitor to confirm a buzzer-beating jumper to close out the third frame, 72-37.
  • Bryant posted its best shooting performance of the night in the fourth quarter tallying 47.1 percent from the field off 8-of-17 and three-of-nine from long distance.
  • Gallagher led the Black and Gold to its best scoring run of the night netting eight of Bryant's 10-straight points after the Gophers grew to their biggest lead of 55 points before the final buzzer.

STATS

  • Four Bulldogs tallied double-figure scoring led by Zegarowski for the second consecutive game. Zegarowski netted 13 followed by Perkins with 11. Holloway and Gallagher each tallied 10 apiece.
  • A game-high 12 rebounds accompanied Holloway's 10 points.
  • The Bulldogs finished the game posted a 41.1 percent field goal percentage off 23-of-56 shooting. Minnesota posted 50.6 percent off 41-of-81 from the field.
  • The Golden Gopher outrebounded the Bulldogs, 43-34.

GAME NOTES

  • Holloway's double-double marks her second of the season and 38th of her career. However, the senior's double-figure performance was just one point shy of Bryant's Division I scoring record.
  • Zegarowski's 13 points mark a season-best.
  • Taylor dropped a season-high four points with a pair of free throws and a layup. 
  • The last time the Bulldogs gave up 100+ points was at St. Francis Brooklyn when the Terriers put up 101.

UP NEXT: UMASS LOWELL
After Thanksgiving, the Bulldogs return home for its first of four home games in the month of December. Bryant is set to host UMass Lowell on Monday, Dec. 2 at 5 p.m. for Military Appreciation Night. All Veterans will receive free admission. Get your tickets HERE.