Photo by: DSPics.com
Photo by: DSPics.com

Bryant picks up first win over UNH

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Four Bulldogs posted double-figure scoring as the Bryant University women's basketball team held onto a 75-72 victory over New Hampshire on Friday afternoon.

Senior Brooke Bjelko continued to lead the Bulldogs after posting her second-straight double-double of 21 points and a career-high 16 rebounds. To space out the floor, sophomore Alana Perkins continued to produce for Bryant with 16 points off 6-of-16 shooting from the field. Perkins was followed by sophomore counterpart Nicole Gallagher with 13 points who was three-for-five from three, and red-shirt freshman Shannon O'Connor with 10.  

GAME INFORMATION
Bryant 75, UNH 72
Records: Bryant 1-1, New Hampshire 0-2
Location: Chace Athletic Center

Key Moment

  • The Bulldogs concluded the first quarter with an 11-0 run to give the Black and Gold the upper hand.
  • UNH started to chip away and even took the lead, 34-32, at the half thanks to eight-straight points from the foul line followed by a 12-4 run to close out the first half.
  • Bryant's hustle and relentlessness kept them in the game and gave them back the lead in the third quarter thanks to a run from Gallagher to spark the momentum. The Bulldogs would not give up their lead for the remainder of the game.

How It Happened

  • The Wildcats held a 10-7 lead until the 3:43 mark when Fatou Jallow drove to the basket and floated one up just outside the paint to spark an 11-0 run to end the quarter. The run gave the Bulldogs the lead, 18-11, as they headed into the second quarter.
  • Kandis Taylor penetrated the paint and kicked it out to Gallagher for three to start the second quarter. Perkins followed it with another three in the very next Black and Gold possession, but the Wildcats chipped away and got within two with an 8-0 run entirely from the foul line, 24-22.
  • After Blanca Chasco turned a layup into a three-point conversion to end the Wildcat run, UNH closed out the half by outscoring the Bulldogs, 12-4, to take the lead, 34-32, at halftime.
  • The second half was back and forth until a hustle play from Gallagher followed by a defensive stop and Bjelko transition layup tied the game at 40 apiece. Gallagher book-ended the run with a three to give Bryant the lead that they would not let up for the remainder of the game, 43-40.
  • Bryant closed out the third quarter with a small four-point lead thanks to a pair of free throws from Bjelko, 52-48.
  • New Hampshire pulled within one on four different occasions in the final frame which forced coach Burke to take a timeout with under five minutes to go in the game. Coming out of the timeout, Taylor threw a cross-court pass to Gallagher who spotted up on the wing for a three that gave Bryant the momentum, 69-65.
  • UNH got within one just one more time at the 1:38 mark with a pair from the charity stripe, but the Wildcats were forced to foul in the final minutes as the Bulldogs capitalized with a free throw from both Taylor and Perkins to close out the game, 75-72.

Stats

  • Four Bulldogs posted double-digits led by Bjelko with 21. Perkins added 16 points shooting six-of-16 from the field followed by 13 points from Gallagher who went five-of-11 from the field. O'Connor added 10 points with a perfect six-for-six from the foul line.
  • Jallow and Taylor chipped in six points apiece.
  • Bjelko concluded the game with a game-high 16 rebounds for a double-double.
  • Jallow dished out six assists followed by O'Connor with five.
  • The Bulldogs outrebounded UNH by double-digits, 44-33.
  • Bryant shot 42.2% from the field and 33.3% from three.

Game Notes

  • Bjelko notched a career-high of 16 rebounds and was two points shy of matching her career-best of 23 points that she reached last season against Albany. Her double-double is also the seventh of her career.
  • O'Connor's 10 points mark a career-high.
  • Taylor matched her career-high of six assists which she first tallied last season at Mount St. Mary's.
  • Bryant ended New Hampshire's three-game winning streak against the Black and Gold and takes back the all-time series record, 5-4.

Up Next
Bryant hits the road for the first time of the 2020-21 season when they make the short trip to Mary Burke Britt King's alma mater Providence College on Sunday, November 29 at 2 p.m.