Women's Basketball Drops 52-45 Decision at AIC Saturday

February 10, 2007

BRYANT WOMEN FALL TO AIC 52-45
Northeast-10 Conference Women's Basketball

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Freshman Kelsey O'Keefe scored 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds but cold shooting and costly turnovers proved too much to overcome as the Bryant women's basketball team saw its six-game win streak snapped at the hands of No. 15 AIC Saturday afternoon in Butova Gym. 

Bryant (16-8, 12-7 NE-10) managed just one field goal in the first 14 minutes of the second half in falling behind 40-27 with a little over six minutes left.  After Erin Murphy's basket and free throw with 16:04 left, the Bulldogs had plenty of opportunities to score against the Yellow Jackets but nothing would fall.

A Jamie Campbell (5 points, 8 rebounds) three-point play underneath at 5:40 helped snap the field goal drought as the Bulldogs pulled back to within 40-30.  A basket and free throw by Lynne-Ann Kokoski followed by three-pointers from O'Keefe and Joanna Skiba helped the Bulldogs close the gap but it was not enough as AIC, behind 18 points and 17 rebounds from Alexis Castro held on. 

For Bryant, the 45 points were a season low but the 51 points scored by AIC were the fewest scored by a Bryant opponent in a loss this season.  AIC was held to 32 percent shooting in the game and Bryant's defense forced 18 turnovers, but 19 turnovers by the Bulldogs were too much to overcome.

In the first half, Bryant trailed 21-11, but put together an 8-2 run late in the half to close to within 23-19.  A Joanna Skiba drive and bucket off the glass followed by a Lauren Rubenoff baseline basket helped key the spurt.

But AIC (19-4, 14-4 NE-10), winners of seven-straight, would answer with a 7-2 run of its own to close out the half and race into the locker room at the break leading 30-21. 

The Bulldogs made just 8 of 27 (29.6 percent) from the floor and turned the ball over 11 times in the first half, resulting in 11 AIC points. 

The Bulldogs will return to action this Wednesday night with a Northeast-10 Conference game at Saint Michael's College (Vt.).