BULLDOGS HOST LONG ISLAND ON SENIOR DAY SATURDAY, TIP-OFF 1PM

February 26, 2010

BULLDOGS HOST LONG ISLAND ON SENIOR DAY SATURDAY, TIP-OFF 1PM

Game Notes / Live Stats / Video

SMITHFIELD, RI - Entering its final game of the 2009-10 season, the Bryant University women's basketball team is currently 13-15 overall and tied for fourth place in the conference with a 10-7 league record. The Bulldogs return to action Saturday at 1 p. m. against Long Island University on senior day in the Chace Athletic Center. Long Island is currently in second place in the NEC and has clinched the second seed in the conference tournament next week. Due to NCAA rules, the Bulldogs will be playing for pride for its last game as they are ineligible for postseason play due to DI transition rules. However, if Bryant was eligible for postseason play they would have already locked up a place in the Northeast Conference tournament. In fact, with a win Bryant would clinch fourth place in the tournament. The Bulldogs will be eligible for postseason play in the 2012-13 season. After defeating the Black and Gold 73-54 earlier this season, the Blackbirds hold a 1-0 series lead over Bryant.

Not unlike any of the past three seasons, 19th year coach Mary Burke's Bulldogs are led by their 6-foot-1 forward, Kelsey O'Keefe. The senior is averaging a team-high 15.7 points per game and has scored 1,780 points in her career, good enough for third place all-time. However, new and young faces are beginning to shine for Bryant as it continues its march into Division I. Freshman Meredith Soper has started the last 16 games for the Bulldogs and is currently ranked fourth on the team in rebounding. Classmate Danielle Douglas has now started 17 consecutive games and has played a crucial role in the season turnaround. After winning just three of their first 13 games, the Bulldogs have gone 10-5 since. A lot of that success is due to the contributions of Soper and Douglas.

CONGRATULATIONS SENIORS!!!
The Bulldogs will be honoring its six-member senior class tonight before tip-off for the four years of dedication and commitment to the Bryant University women's basketball team. The class consists of four Massachusetts natives: Adrianne Mayshar, Jaime Campbell and tri-captains Kelsey O'Keefe and Courtney Schermerhorn as well as two New Yorker's, Kristen Dessingue and tri-captain Kristin Mraz.

SCOUTING THE BLACKBIRDS
Long Island comes into Saturday's game ranked second in the conference standings. The Blackbirds also enter tonight's game ranked second in points per game with 67.7. LIU also leads the Northeast Conference in field goal percentage, averaging 44.3 percent from the field. The Blackbirds also sit in third place in the NEC in rebounds per game (40.1) and lead the league in assists per game (15.7). However, if a game comes down to the final few possessions the Blackbirds may struggle. Long Island shoots a league-worst 60.4 percent from the free throw line.

Leading the way for the Blackbirds are forwards Ashley Palmer and Chelsi Johnson. In the NEC, Palmer and Johnson rank fourth and ninth in scoring, respectively. Palmer averages 15.7 points per game while Johnson adds 14.5 of her own. All five Blackbird starters average over eight points per contest. Johnson also ranks second in the league in field goal percentage, shooting 56.5 percent from the field. Senior guard Connie James and Palmer are close behind as both of them average over 49 percent. Sophomore point guard Kiara Evans is first in the NEC with 188 assists. The last starter for the Blackbirds is junior guard Heidi Mothershead. Mothershead is a sharpshooter from outside as she ranks fourth in the conference in 3-point field goal percentage with 40.8 percent.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
With her two 33-point and her career-high 34-point performances against Monmouth, Robert Morris and Quinnipiac, respectively, Kelsey O'Keefe has the three highest single-game point totals in the Northeast Conference this season. She is currently ranked fifth in the NEC, averaging 15.6 ppg.

The Bulldogs are shooting well from long-range this season and are currently in third place in the NEC in 3-point shooting percentage, averaging 34.2 percent from beyond the arc. Bryant is second in 3-point shots made with 169 on the season and fourth in the conference in assists, averaging 13.57 per game. Coming into tonight's contest and off a recent career-best performance against Saint Francis (PA), sophomore Lekia Cowen is ranked sixth in the NEC, shooting 40 percent from long range. Senior captain Kristin Mraz is ranked sixth in the NEC with her 117 assists. Mraz posted a career-best nine assists on Saturday, Feb. 13 against Robert Morris and is coming off an eight assist night at St. Francis (NY). On top of everything else she does, O'Keefe is ranked first in free throw shooting percentage, averaging 87.7 percent from the line.

CRASHING THE BOARDS
The Bryant Bulldogs have outrebounded their opponents in 22 games so far this season, including 12 of the 13 victories. Bryant is currently ranked first in the NEC in rebounding, averaging 41.5 per game. The Bulldogs are second in the NEC in rebounding margin, averaging 4.2 boards better than their opponents. In the NEC, Kelsey O'Keefe and Siamone Bennett are ranked 12th and 18th in rebounds per game, respectively. O'Keefe is averaging 6.4 boards per game while Bennett pulls in 6.3. Coming off her 11 offensive rebound performance at Mount St. Mary's, Bennett ranks first in the conference in the category, pulling down and average of 3.68 per game while O'Keefe sits in sixth place in defensive boards, pulling down 5.32 a night. Bennett also remains in first place in the conference with 38 blocked shots.

UP NEXT
Saturday's game against Long Island will be the last of the season for the women's basketball program as it wraps up a memorable second season at the Division I level.