Posted: Dec 03, 2009

BULLDOGS OPEN NEC PLAY FRIDAY, HOST ST. FRANCIS (NY) AT 7PM

December 3, 2009

BULLDOGS OPEN NEC PLAY FRIDAY, HOST ST. FRANCIS (NY) AT 7PM

After picking up their first road-win of the season, the Bulldogs open Northeast Conference play on Friday with a matchup against St. Francis (NY). Bryant comes into the matchup with an overall record of 2-4 after winning one of two games on the upstate New York road trip. The Bulldogs, led by a Kelsey O'Keefe double-double, scored a season-high 82 points at Colgate on Tuesday. Friday's opponent, the St. Francis (NY) Terriers, are 0-5 on the season, with their most recent loss coming at the hands of Army, 68-56. The Bulldogs and the Terriers met two times last season with Bryant coming out on top in both matchups.

BULLDOGS DEFEAT COLGATE 82-74
The Bryant University women's basketball team picked up its first road victory of the 2009-10 campaign in the last game of a two-game road trip to upstate New York. The Bulldogs scored a season-high 82 points defeating the Red Raiders 82-74. Senior captain Kelsey O'Keefe (Warren, Mass.) scored a game-high 21 points, good enough to move her into third place all-time on the Bulldog scoring list. O'Keefe now has 1,428 career points.

The Bulldogs improved to 2-4 on the season with the victory as the Raiders drop to 5-2. O'Keefe picked up her first double-double of her senior campaign recording a game-high 14 rebounds to go with her 21 points. Junior Siamone Bennett (Newburgh, N.Y.) added 20 points and seven rebounds for Bryant. Bennett was followed up by sophomore Lekia Cowen (Hopedale, Mass.), who recorded 12 points and shot 3-5 from outside.

The Red Raiders were led offensively by three players, Sami Kozlowski (17 points), Tricia Oakes (16 points) and Candice Green (15 points). Center Krista Moser pulled down 13 boards for the Gate.

The Bulldogs shot 43.1 percent from the field and out-rebounded the Raiders by a margin of 49-39.

BRYANT FALLS TO ST. BONAVENTURE 66-43 ON SUNDAY
Siamone Bennett scored 12 points and grabbed six rebounds but it was not enough as the Bryant University women's basketball team dropped a 66-43 non-conference decision at St. Bonaventure Sunday afternoon. The Bulldogs drop to 1-4 on the season with the loss.

The Bulldogs shot just 27 percent from the floor in the first half in trailing 28-17 at the break. Bennett had the hot hand for the Bulldogs, going 5-for-10 from the floor in the game but turned the ball over six times. The Bulldogs in all had 24 turnovers on the day. Lekia Cowen was the only Bulldog in double figures, finishing with 10 points in a team-high 32 minutes. Half of her points came from the free throw line (5-for-6). O'Keefe had seven points and six boards.

Saint Bonaventure was led by Jessica Jenkins' 15 points on 6-11 shooting while Armelia Horton had 12 points for the Bonnies who improve to 6-0 on the season. SBU made 10 of 13 free throw attempts and had just eight turnovers in the game

LOOKING AT THE TERRIERS
St. Francis (NY) is 0-5 on the young season but looking to rebound as they enter NEC play. The Terriers are led offensively by Autumn Lau, who averages 12.6 ppg and 8.4 rpg. Lau is currently 10th in the conference in scoring and fifth in rebounding. Over the past two games, Kendra Williams has emerged as another leader for the Terriers and is averaging 10.8 ppg and 7.0 rpg. Williams is shooting a team-high 57.9 percent from the field.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
Through the first five games, Bryant is leading the Northeast Conference in rebounding margin averaging 9.8 boards more than their opponent. The Bulldogs also sit in second place in rebounding offense averaging 45 per contest. Bryant has also hit 32 three-pointers through the first five games, good enough for third place in the NEC. Before she hit three 3-point buckets at Colgate, Sophomore Lekia Cowen's 47.4 percent shooting from beyond the arc was good enough for sixth in the NEC. Cowen is currently shooting an even 50 percent (12-24) following the victory. Siamone Bennett currently leads the NEC in offensive rebounding averaging five per contest.

O'KEEFE MOVES INTO 3RD PLACE ALL-TIME
With a layup just 1:26 into the Bulldogs 82-74 victory at Colgate on Tuesday, senior captain Kelsey O'Keefe passed Stephanie Ladd for thrid place all-time on the Bryant scoring list. O'Keefe now has 1,428 career points. O'Keefe added 14 rebounds to record her first double-double of the season and the 25th of her career.

UP NEXT
The Bulldogs host America East affiliate Binghamton University on Monday, Dec. 7 in the Chace Athletic Center. The Bearcats defeated Bryant 68-61 in the first matchup between the programs in last year's matchup. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.