BULLDOGS STAGE LATE TEN POINT COMEBACK, FALL AT FINAL SHOT TO WEBER STATE, 51-49, IN SECOND GAME OF AIR FORCE CLASSIC

12/4/10

BULLDOGS STAGE LATE TEN POINT COMEBACK, FALL AT FINAL SHOT TO WEBER STATE, 51-49, IN SECOND GAME OF AIR FORCE CLASSIC

COLORADO SRINGS, Colo. – Senior Siamone Bennett (Newburgh, N.Y.) netted 12 points, including a game-tying layup with 23 seconds left in regulation to complete an impressive comeback, but it would not be enough to hold off a final Weber State shot as the Bryant University women's basketball team fell, 51-49, Saturday afternoon in the final day of the Air Force Classic.  

Down by 10 with just over four minutes remaining, the Bulldogs scored ten consecutive points to pull even with the Wildcats, 49-49, with 23 seconds to play, highlighted by a series of defensive stops and clutch shots from Bennett and Danielle Douglas (Silver Spring, Md.). Nevertheless, a final floater from Weber State's Caela Mohre at the last second gave the Wildcats the late lead and the eventual victory despite the remarkable Bryant comeback.    

Douglas also registered 12 points for the Bulldogs and sophomore Katie Whittington (Twinsburg, Ohio) added 11 including a trio of 3-pointers. Junior Brittany Stahura (Amsterdam, N.Y.) was instrumental down low on both ends of the floor in the second half and finished with a game-high 11 rebounds.

As a team, the Bulldogs shot 32 percent from the field while the Wildcats shot 35 percent.  

For the second straight game, the Bulldogs opened the scoring with a 3-pointer from Whittington but the Wildcats responded with a 9-2 run, led by a pair of baskets from Megan Patterson. Weber State then added to its lead with a second trey from Mohre but the Bulldogs chipped away at the Wildcat advantage on a couple of short jumpers by Douglas along with a Courtney Schissler (Branford, Conn.) 3-pointer.

Sophomore Katie Whittington scored 11 points, including a trio of 3-pointers, against Weber State Saturday afternoon

Following a Wildcat three, the teams took turns trading baskets until the Bulldogs put together a 6-0 run highlighted by back-to-back shots from Bennett down low. A few plays later, Meredith Soper (Winthrop, Mass.) drilled a shot from beyond the arc to put the Bulldogs up, 23-22, with just under four minutes to play in the half.

The Wildcats were able to put together a strong run in the closing minutes of the half but another Whittington trifecta trimmed the Weber State advantage as the Bulldogs went into halftime down 29-28. At intermission, Douglas and Whittington paced the Bulldogs with eight points apiece while Bennett ad Krista Ferrentino (East Longmeadow, Mass.) each added four rebounds. Both teams combined for only one attempted foul shot in the first half with Weber State's Caitlin Anderson making the lone free throw.  

 Bryant opened the second half just as it did at the start of the game, by means of a Whittington 3-pointer, but Weber State's Mohre matched her efforts with a trey of her own to maintain the Wildcat lead.

From there, the Bulldogs picked it up on the defensive end as Stahura and Naana Ankoma-Mensa (Brampton, Ontario) held their position down low for rebounds which limited the number of second chance opportunities. Stahura also contributed on the other end of the floor with a pair of post shots, allowing the Bulldogs to keep up with the two point Wildcat advantage.

In the later part of the second half, Weber State began to pull away after Megan Patterson and Amanda Hughes combined for the next nine Wildcat points.

Down by seven with 5:00 remaining, the Bulldogs clamped down on defense but Patterson was able to knock down a late 3-pointer as the shot clock expired.

Despite the ten point disadvantage, the Bulldogs continued to play tough on the defensive side and it began to pay off as a series of Wildcat turnovers produced an 8-0 run for the Bulldogs for the 49-47 disadvantage.

Down by two with 30 seconds to play, Bennett crashed the boards after a Bryant missed jumper, grabbed  the offensive rebound and put back the quick shot to tie the game, 49-49.The Wildcats then took the final possession and Mohre managed to make a floating layup in final second of the contest, giving Weber State the 51-49 victory.   

Following the final game of the Air Force Classic, Douglas and Bennett were both named to the All-Tournament Team, averaging 14 and 11.5 points for the tournament, respectively. Raimee Beck of Air Force was named the MVP while fellow Falcon Megan Muniz, Texas State's Anna Brzozowski and Weber State's Megan patterson rounded out the all-tournament squad.

The Black and Gold open Northeast Conference action Dec. 9 when they travel to Farleigh Dickinson with tipoff at 7:00 p.m.