BULLDOGS OPEN NORTHEAST CONFERENCE ACTION THURSDAY, VISIT FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON AT 7 PM
Dec. 8, 2010
SMITHFIELD, R.I. - The Bryant University women's basketball team opens Northeast Conference play Dec. 9 with a trip down to Teaneck, N.J. to face Fairleigh Dickinson at 7 p.m. The Bulldogs are 1-6 on the season after splitting a pair of games at the Air Force Classic last weekend, including a 79-74 victory over the host Falcons for their first win of the 2010-11 season.
THE SERIES
Thursday's game will be the fifth meeting ever between the Bulldogs and the Knights as each program has held serve with a pair of home wins. In last year's meeting at the Chace Athletic Center, then-senior Kelsey O'Keefe scored 15 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for her third double-double of the season to help lead Bryant to a 57-53 win over FDU, avenging a loss in Teaneck, N.J. earlier in the season.
BRYANT LAST TIME OUT
Senior Siamone Bennett 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. 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 added 11 including a trio of 3-pointers. Junior Brittany Stahura was instrumental down low on both ends of the floor in the second half and finished with a game-high 11 rebounds.
SCOUTING THE KNIGHTS
Fairleigh Dickinson is 4-4 on the season after beating Yale, 59-57, Monday night on the road. FDU has also picked up wins over Rider, Army and Columbia this winter. The Knights, members of the Northeast Conference, are averaging 53.8 points per game and allowing 57.4 ppg. Junior Mariyah Laury is leading the team with 15.0 points per game while senior Alyssa Mayrose is also in double-figures with 10.5 ppg. Mayrose is the team's top rebounder with 6.3 boards per contest.
FDU LAST TIME OUT
The Fairleigh Dickinson University women's basketball team defeated Yale, 59-57, in a game that came down to the wire at the John J. Lee Amphitheater on December 6. With the big win the Knights improve to 4-4 on the season. The Knights were led by junior Jasmyra Saunders who came off the bench and scored 16 points. Senior Alyssa Mayrose and senior Jordan Sykes made their first appearances in the starting line-up in Head Coach Pete Cinella's attempt to make up for losses in the Knights' last two outings.
BRYANT vs. THE NORTHEAST CONFERENCE
Now in their third year at the Division I level, the Bulldogs have put together a 16-14 record against members of the Northeast Conference since 2008. In two years, Bryant has yet to have a losing record against the NEC after going 6-6 in its inaugural DI season and 10-8 last winter. Additionally, the Bulldogs closed out the NEC slate in strong fashion last season, winning nine out of their final 15 contests.
BRYANT IN NEC OPENERS
While last season marked the first season Bryant was eligible for Northeast Conference standings, the Bulldogs have played members of the NEC for the past two years and have succeeded in conference openers. The Bulldogs downed Central Connecticut, 64-61, on Nov. 25, 2008 and beat St. Francis (NY), 55-41, Dec. 4, 2009.
AIR FORCE WON
The Bulldogs picked up their first win of the season last weekend when they knocked off the host Falcons, 79-74, in the opening game of the Air Force Classic in Colorado Springs, Colo. Sophomore Danielle Douglas scored a team-high 16 points and freshman Jenniqua Bailey netted back-to-back clutch three-point plays at the end of the game to preserve the Bryant lead and eventual victory. Bailey scored 12 points in the game while seniors Siamone Bennett and Lindsey Hudspeth chipped in with 11 and 13, respectively.
BENNETT, DOUGLAS EARN HONORS
After their impressive play at the Air Force Classic in Colorado Springs, Colo. this past weekend, senior Siamone Bennett and sophomore Danielle Douglas were named to the all-tournament team. Bennett averaged 11.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game in the two games while Douglas paced the Bulldogs with 14 points per game and three steals per game in the tournament.
TEACH ME HOW TO DOUG-LAS
Sophomore Danielle Douglas has been one of the most consistent players for the Bulldogs this season and her performance in last weekend's Air Force Classic only cemented her importance on the team. The guard paced the Bulldogs with 14 points per game and three steals per game in the tournament, including a 16-point performance in Bryant's 79-74 victory over host Air Force Friday night for the team's first win of the season. The sophomore also went 8-for-10 on the free throw line against the Falcons to help the Black and Gold preserve the win.
UP NEXT
The Bulldogs return to Smithfield R.I. for a pair of home games, first taking on Colgate Dec. 11 at 2 p.m. and then playing host to Holy Cross Dec. 19 at 4 p.m.