Army edges out Bulldogs in non-conference finale

WEST POINT, N.Y. – Three Bulldogs tallied double-figures including a season-high from senior Masey Zegarowski (Hamilton, Mass.), but it wasn't enough as the Bryant University women's basketball team fell to Army West Point, 81-75.

Zegarowski netted 17 points off a season-best seven-of-17 shooting from the field. Sydney Holloway (Morgantown, W.Va) returned to the rotation after sitting out the last two games for Bryant and tallied 12. Senior Taty LaFrance Boyce (Norwich, Conn.) matched Holloway with 12 and led the Bulldogs on the glass with six rebounds.

GAME INFORMATION
Army 81, Bryant 75
Records: Bryant (2-9), Army (4-7)
Location: Christl Arena (West Point, N.Y.)

KEY MOMENT

• The Black Knights took an early lead to start the game thanks to a 78.6 field goal percentage off 11-of-14 shooting. 
• A 12-0 run in the second quarter put the Bulldogs back in the game and within one before Army sank a three to close the half, 39-35. 
• Junior Kandis Taylor (Sunrise, Fla.) gave Bryant the lead with a steal and the fastbreak layup in the third quarter, 50-48, but the Black Knights went on a quick 6-0 run to take the advantage back.
• Trinity Bravo (Bridgeport, Conn.) hit a buzzer-beating put-back layup to close out the third quarter and tie the game at 58 all.
• Army began the fourth quarter on a 10-2 run and the Bulldogs were unable to break into the Black Knight lead as they fell, 81-75.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Zegarowski got things started in the opening minute with a jumper off a screen from Bravo, but the Black Knights responded with a 12-0 run to take the advantage.
• The Bulldogs started cutting into the Black Knight's lead when Alana Perkins (Wauwatosa, Wis.) kickstarted a quick 6-0 run when Zegarowski found the rookie alone at the top of the key for a three. The run put the Bulldogs within six, but Army pulled away by netting 10 straight just before the end of the quarter.
• In the first frame, Army shot 78.6 percent from the field off 11-of-14 shooting, with four coming from behind the arc.
• The Bulldogs showed a strong second-quarter by outscoring Army, 20-13 to get back into the game.
• With 4:37 to play before the half, Bryant took off on a 12-0 run to cut into the Black Knight lead. Perkins closed out the run with a three to put the Bulldogs within one, 36-35, but Army drained a three of their own just before the buzzer, 39-35.
• Both teams went basket-for-basket to start the second quarter before a layup from Zegarowski tied the game at 48 apiece. In the very next possession, Taylor intercepted a pass at the top of the key and euro-stepped her defender to give Bryant its first lead of the game since the opening basket, 50-48.  
• The Black Knights immediately answered by scoring the next six to take back the lead and give themselves a four-point cushion.
• In the final minute of the third quarter, Zegarowski pulled up for three followed by an offensive rebound and the put-back at the buzzer from Bravo to even the score for the fourth time in the game, 58-58.
• Army jumped to an eight-point lead to open the fourth quarter, 68-60, with a 10-2 run.
• With the score at 70-64 in Army's favor and under five minutes to go, Nicole Gallagher (Foxboro, Mass.) put the Bulldogs within two when the rookie netted a three and got one at the stripe. The Black Knights scored the next three points before Gallagher put the Black and Gold within two for the second time of the quarter. Gallagher drove hard to the basket for the bucket and the foul to make it a three-point play, 73-71.
• The two-point deficit was as close as the Bulldogs would get before Army went on a 10-4 run to pull away and end the game, 81-75.

STATS

• Zegarowski led the team in scoring with 17 points off seven-of-17 shooting and three-of-10 from beyond the arc. The senior guard also led with a game-high five assists.
• Holloway and LaFrance Boyce each netted 12.
• LaFrance Boyce led on the glass with six boards.
• The Bulldogs shot 43.5% off 30-of-69 shooting from the field. Army posted a field goal percentage of 58.3% off 28-of-48 shooting.
• The Black Knights outrebounded the Bulldogs, 33-29.
• Bryant forced Army to turn the ball over 21 times and capitalized by posting 29 points off turnovers.

GAME NOTES

• Zegarowski's 17 points marked a season-high.
• Taylor posted a career-high six points.
• Bravo swiped a career-high four steals.
• Bryant's 43.5 field goal percentage is the best so far of the season.
• Bryant tied the game five different times in the contest.
• The Bulldogs fall to 1-3 all-time against Army West Point.

UP NEXT: Saint Francis U
The Bulldogs kick off the Northeast Conference schedule after the New Year with Saint Francis U on Thursday, Jan. 2 at 1 p.m.