Bryant produces season-high scoring in win over Terriers

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Four members of the Bryant University women's basketball team tallied double-figure scoring in its 78-59 win over St. Francis Brooklyn. The Monday night victory helped the Bulldogs move to a 5-6 record against NEC opponents in their largest scoring outburst of the season. 

Senior Sydney Holloway (Morgantown, W.Va.) led with her first 20-point performance of the season with 22 points accompanied by 14 rebounds for a double-double. Freshman Nicole Gallagher (Foxboro, Mass.) contributed 15 points marking the most points scored by the rookie against NEC foes. Junior Brooke Bjelko (Plattsburgh, N.Y.) and senior Taty LaFrance Boyce (Norwich, Conn.) each added 13 points to the Black and Gold victory.  

GAME INFORMATION 
Bryant 78, St. Francis Brooklyn 59
Records: Bryant (7-15, 5-6), St. Francis Brooklyn (6-17, 2-10) 
Location: Chace Athletic Center (Smithfield, R.I.)  

KEY MOMENTS 

• Two three-pointers from Alana Perkins (Wauwatosa, Wis.) capped off an 8-1 run for the Bulldogs to close out the first quarter for a 15-11 lead.  
• The Bulldogs used an 11-4 run to open the second half and gain a 10-point lead at 48-38 with 5:32 left in the third quarter.  
• A layup from Holloway gave Bryant a 14-point lead at 63-49 with under six minutes left in the game to seal Bryant's win.

HOW IT HAPPENED 

• Both teams struggled out of the gate going as they went a combined 0-for-6 from the field until a St. Francis Brooklyn layup opened the scoring at the 7:15 mark. 
• Bryant would trail 4-0 early on but back-to-back baskets from Bejlko gave the Bulldogs their first lead of the night at 5-4 with 5:54 to go in the first frame.
• The Terries used a 6-0 run over a 3:15 minute span to pull ahead 10-5 before a Holloway layup brought the Bulldogs within three. 
• Bryant would regain the lead off a Perkins three-pointer to make it 12-11 with under a minute remaining in the first quarter.   
• Both teams would go back and forth but back-to-back layups from Holloway kept Bryant ahead, 25-20, with 5:52 to go in the second.  
• St. Francis evened the score at 25 apiece but Gallagher answered with a corner three to give the Bulldogs a 28-25 lead going into the media timeout.  
• The Terriers came close to evening the score with under four to go in the first half, but two straight threes from Gallagher and Perkins kept Bryant ahead, 34-31. 
• Holloway got a layup to fall just before the end of the half to keep Bryant's lead, 36-33, as both teams combined 0-of-3 from the field to close out the first half.  
• The Bulldogs jumped out to a 41-36 lead to start the second half thanks to a three from Gallagher. 
• A Bulldog 8-2 run capped off by an and-1 from Holloway gave Bryant a nine-point lead at 47-38 with 5:32 left in the third quarter. 
• The Bulldogs defense forced three Terrier turnovers to close out the third quarter and kept Bryant ahead 57-48.   
• A layup from LaFrance Boyce would expand the Bulldogs lead 61-49 with 7:10 remaining in the game.  
• Bryant pulled away late in the game and went on to win 78-59 as St. Francis struggled offensively in the fourth quarter shooting 5-of-10 from the charity stripe and 3-of-10 from the field.  

STATS 

• Four Bulldogs tallied double-figure scoring led by Holloway with 22 points off nine-of-16 shooting from the field. Gallagher trailed Holloway with 15 with a four-of-five mark from beyond the arc, while Bjelko and LaFrance Boyce each added 13 apiece.
• Holloway capped off her 20-point performance with a game-high 14 rebounds.
• Kandis Taylor (Sunrise, Fla.) led with four assists.
• Bjelko denied four shots.
• Bryant posted a 53.6 percent field goal percentage off 30-of-56 shooting.
• The Bulldogs outrebounded the Terriers by double-figures, 40-23.

GAME NOTES 

• Holloway's double-double performance was her sixth of the season and 42^nd of her career. The 22 points marked a season-high and first 20-point performance of the season for the senior.
• Gallagher posted a career-high in scoring against NEC opponents. 
• Bjelko's four blocks marked a career-high.
• Perkins erased a six-game scoring drought with a career-high of nine points against an NEC opponent. 
• Bryant posted season-highs in field goal percentage, three-point percentage, assists, and points.
• The Bulldogs grow to a 15-7 all-time mark against the Terriers.

UP NEXT: Central Connecticut 
The Bulldogs hit the road for New Britain, Conn. to face the Blue Devils of Central Connecticut on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 1 p.m. on NEC Front Row.