BULLDOGS VISIT INTRASTATE RIVAL BROWN TONIGHT AT 7 PM

Nov. 23, 2010

BULLDOGS VISIT INTRASTATE RIVAL BROWN TONIGHT AT 7 PM

Game Notes

SMITHFIELD, R.I. - The Bryant University women's basketball team heads down the road tonight to face cross-town rival Brown for the third meeting in as many years between the two programs. The Bulldogs enter the contest with an 0-3 overall record after falling to Maine, 74-66, Friday night in their home-opener. The Bears (1-2) picked up their first win of the season on Saturday when they knocked off New Hampshire, 66-54, on the road.   

THE SERIES

Today's game will be the third meeting all-time between the two programs as the Bulldogs have met the Bears every season since making the transition to Division I in 2008. Brown holds a 2-0 advantage in the series including a 79-72 overtime win at the Chace Athletic Center last year. The Bears were led by Lindsay Nickel's 19 points while Lekia Cowen scored 15 for the Bulldogs.

SCOUTING THE BEARS

Junior Hannah Passafuime and sophomore Lindsay Nickel netted 14 points apiece to lead Brown past host New Hampshire, 66-54, Saturday night for the team's first win of the season. In three games this season, Passafuime leads the Bears with 13 points per game while Sheila Dixon is the team's top rebounder with just under seven boards per contest.

BRYANT VS. THE IVY LEAGUE

Although new to the D-1 ranks, the Bulldogs are no strangers to the Ivy League, taking on the likes of Cornell, Brown, Penn, Yale and Dartmouth for a 1-6 all-time record. Bryant will look for its second ever win against a member of the Ivy League with the lone victory coming last January when the Black and Gold knocked off Yale, 69-62. Today's game marks the second of three Ivy League opponents for the Bulldogs this season after they fell at Penn, 70-59, on Nov. 12 in the season-opener. Bryant will host Dartmouth on Sunday, Nov. 28 with tip-off slated at 1 p.m.

EMPIRE STATE OF MIND

Senior co-captain Siamone Bennett (Newburgh, N.Y.) enjoyed one of the best games of her impressive career Friday night, recording a double-double in Bryant's 74-66 loss to Maine in the team's home-opener. The Newburgh, N.Y. native grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds, including 12 offensive boards, and chipped in 22 points, just one mark shy of her career-best in that category. Bennett was instrumental in giving the Bulldogs a 40-31 lead at halftime as she had a double-double at the break with 13 points and 12 rebounds. The senior was a force down low, picking up offensive boards for the quick put-back or drawing the foul to get to the line, where she was 6-8 on free throw attempts. The second-best shot blocker in program history (109) also added two rejections, two assists and one steal in the game. After three games this season, Bennett is averaging a double-double with 13 points per game and 10.3 rebounds per game.   

IN THE CARDS

Freshman Steph Cardamone (Freehold, N.J. ) enjoyed a breakout performance Friday night when she came off the bench to score 12 points in Bryant's 74-66 loss to Maine. The rookie was a big part in giving the Bulldogs a 40-31 lead at halftime when she scored 10 points in the first stanza including a stretch of seven points in a span of four minutes capped off by a three-pointer, one of her two treys in the contest. Cardamone also added four rebounds and one assist in 24 minutes of game action. This season, Cardamone has been one of the primary scorers off the bench for the Bulldogs, averaging just under seven points per game in her first three collegiate contests.