BULLDOGS TRAVEL TO MIAMI FOR 25TH ANNUAL SUN & FUN CLASSIC
December 27, 2009
BULLDOGS TRAVEL TO MIAMI FOR 25TH ANNUAL SUN & FUN CLASSIC
SMITHFIELD, R.I. - After a white and cold Christmas in Rhode Island, the Bryant University women's basketball team will gladly jump on a plane and head south to Miami for the 25th annual FIU Sun & Fun Classic. The Bulldogs will play the tournament's opening game against host-institution Florida International on Monday, Dec. 28 at 5 p.m. in the U.S. Century Bank Arena. The winner of game will advance to play the winner of Hampton and Georgia Tech on Tuesday afternoon. Bryant enters the tournament with a 3-7 record overall and 1-1 in the Northeast Conference. The Bulldogs are led offensively by forward Siamone Bennett (Newburgh, N.Y.). Bennett, the team's leading scorer and rebounder, is having her best year on the court averaging 11.3 ppg and 7.6 rpg. In the NEC the junior is currently ranked 16th in scoring, sixth in rebounding and first in blocked shots.
CAMPBELL RECORDS CAREER-HIGH IN BULLDOG LOSS
Senior Jaime Campbell (Springfield,
Mass.) registered a career-high 23 points, but the Bryant
University women's basketball dropped its third straight game as
the Bulldogs were defeated 78-61 by Lehigh University on Sunday
afternoon at the Malcolm Chace Athletic Center.
Campbell led the way for Bryant with a career and game-high 23 points including going 8-10 from the field and 7-9 from the free-throw line. Campbell added eight rebounds and one assist. Sophomore Lekia Cowen (Hopedale, Mass.) added 12 points for the Dogs while junior Siamone Bennett and sophomore Brittany Stahura (Amsterdam, N.Y.) each added seven boards.
With the win, Lehigh improved to 9-2 overall on the season. The well-rounded Mountain Hawk squad had four players in double figures. Senior Alex Ross scored a team-high 21 points going 7-14 from beyond the three-point arc. However, Mountain Hawk point guard Erica Prosser proved to be the difference-maker. Posser scored 18 points, recorded four assists and had seven steals. Prosser and the Mountain Hawks scored 28 points off 28 Bryant turnovers.
The Mountain Hawks jumped out to the early lead to give themselves a nine point lead just 5:30 into the game but Campbell was able to lead the Bulldogs back and bring them within one after she hit two free-throws with 10 minutes remaining in the half. The Hawks proceeded to shoot the ball well and earned themselves a five-point halftime lead. Lehigh shot 45.5 percent for the half.
Lehigh opened the second half with an 8-1 run to give the Hawks a 12-point lead just 2:30 into the second half before freshman Katie Whittington (Twinsburg, Ohio) hit a long-range three-point shot. From there the Hawks cruised to the 17 point win as they created seven second-half steals and forced 11 Bulldog turnovers.
Both Bryant (41.7) and Lehigh (43.5) shot over 40 percent in the contest. The Bulldogs were able to out-rebound the Hawks by a slim 38-34 margin and shoot a season-best 73.9 percent from the charity stripe (17-23).
BULLDOGS DROP FIRST-EVER MEETING WITH LONG ISLAND,
73-54
Despite leading at the half and junior Siamone Bennett
recording her second double-double of the season, the Bryant
University women's basketball team dropped its first-ever meeting
with Northeast Conference foe Long Island by a score of 73-54.
Bennett recorded a season-high 22 points and 10 rebounds. The forward fell just three blocks short of a triple-double with seven. Her career-high seven blocks in a game tie her for second all-time.
The Blackbirds were led by sophomores Ashley Palmer and Kiara Evans. Palmer recorded 19 points while Evans netted 17. Chelsi Johnson fell one point short of a double-double with nine points and 10 boards.
After being down 12-3 just seven minutes into the contest, Bennett brought her team back to give the Bulldogs a 24-23 lead at the half. The forward had the hot hand for Bryant as she recorded 14 of her team's 24 first-half points. Bennett also registered four rebounds and three blocks in the first 20 minutes.
The Bulldogs were smothered offensively in the second half by the Blackbird full-court press. LIU forced 20 second-half turnovers to go with their 14 second-half steals.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
Through its first 10 games, Bryant is still leading the
Northeast Conference in rebounding margin averaging 5.5 boards more
than their opponent. The Bulldogs also sit in second place in
rebounding offense averaging 42.8 per contest. Bryant has also hit
61 three-pointers through the first nine games, good enough for
fourth place in the NEC. Junior Siamone Bennett is currently ranked
first in the conference in offensive rebounds, accumulating 43
through the first 10 games. The forward is ranked 16th in scoring
averaging 11.3 ppg and sixth in overall rebounding with 7.6 rpg.
Bennett also sits in first in the NEC with her 16 blocks. The New
York native has 10 blocks in the past two games.
O'KEEFE MOVES INTO 3RD PLACE ALL-TIME
With a layup just 1:26 into the Bulldogs 82-74 victory at
Colgate on Tuesday, Dec. 1 senior captain Kelsey O'Keefe passed
Stephanie Ladd for thrid place all-time on the Bryant scoring list.
O'Keefe now has 1,460 career points. In that game, the senior also
recorded the 25th double-double of her career.
DOUBLE OR NOTHING
Junior Siamone Bennett recorded her second double-double
of the season at Long Island two weeks ago. Bennett scored 22
points and pulled down 10 boards against the Blackbirds. Earlier in
the season Bennett registered her first double-double when she
scored 10 points and gather 13 boards against Patriot League
affiliate Holy Cross in mid-November. Senior captain Kelsey O'Keefe
has also registered one double-double this season in a game
at???Colgate on December 1st. O'Keefe scored 21 points and pulled
in 14 rebounds for the Dogs.
UP NEXT
Bryant will return to action on Thursday, January 7 in New
Jersey when the Dogs travel to the Garden state for a long weekend
with two Northeast Conference Matchups. The Bulldogs will first
take on Fairleigh Dickinson on Thursday at 5 p.m. Bryant will then
travel to Monmouth University to face the Hawks on Saturday, Jan. 9
at 3 p.m.