O’KEEFE NAMED CHOICE HOTELS NORTHEAST CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

February 15, 2010

 BRYANT'S KELSEY O'KEEFE NAMED CHOICE HOTELS NEC PLAYER OF THE WEEK

SMITHFIELD, RI - Just two days after posting 33 points against Robert Morris, Bryant University senior Kelsey O'Keefe (Warren, Mass.) has earned the first-ever Northeast Conference weekly accolade for the Bryant women's basketball team as she was named the Choice Hotels Northeast Conference Player of the Week.

O'Keefe averaged 23.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game as Bryant nearly completed a home sweep of the league's Keystone State opponents. She shot 50 percent from the field over the two-game span, including 9-18 from 3-point range. 

Coming up one rebound shy of a double-double, the 6-foot-1 forward totaled 13 points, nine rebounds and four blocks in the Bulldogs' 89-76 victory over Saint Francis (PA) on Thursday.  O'Keefe made 6 of 12 shots from the floor and committed only one turnover in 28 minutes of action against the Red Flash. 

Two days later, O'Keefe turned in another sensational scoring effort that was nearly enough to power the Bulldogs past first-place Robert Morris. Bryant's captain, who made 11 of 22 shots from the field, scored the team's first 20 points after halftime to trim a 20-point deficit down to nine with 10:09 remaining in regulation. Her eighth 3-pointer of the game brought the Bulldogs within one, 65-64, with 6:30 to play in the eventual 74-72 setback.

O'Keefe is responsible for three of the five 30-point performances that have occurred in NEC play this season. She has the three highest with two 33-point outings and a career-high 34 point performance against Quinnipiac.

O'Keefe is ranked third all-time in scoring in the Bryant record books with 1,729 points. She is currently ranked fifth in the NEC averaging 15.4 points per game.

The senior and her squad return to action on Thursday, Feb. 18 when they travel to Staten Island, N.Y. to face the Wagner Seahawks. Tip-off is slated for 5 p.m.