BULLDOGS WRAP UP NON-CONFERENCE PLAY WITH 66-55 LOSS AT ARMY MONDAY

January 3, 2011

WEST POINT, N.Y. – Senior Siamone Bennett (Newburgh, N.Y.) scored 12 points and added eight rebounds for the near double-double but it was not enough to hold off the sharpshooting Black Knights as the Bryant University women's basketball team fell at Army, 66-55, Monday at Christl Arena.

The Black Knights benefited from a big first half as they shot 70 percent from beyond the arc to establish a strong lead while senior Erin Anthony led all scorers with 19 points. Army went on to shoot 60 percent from 3-point range in the contest and had a total of four players in double figures.    

Freshman Jenniqua Bailey (Bloomfield, Conn.) also had a strong game for the Bulldogs (3-9) as she scored all 13 of her points in the second half to keep the pressure on the home squad. Freshman Naana Ankoma-Mensa (Brampton, Ontario) contributed with eight points and seven rebounds off the bench. As a team, the Bulldogs shot 36 percent from the floor in the contest and outrebounded the Black Knights by a margin of 40-32.     

Bennett helped the Bulldogs get off to a strong start as the senior controlled the opening tip and followed with a hard drive to the basket for the drawn foul and a pair of converted free throws. On the next possession, Bennett followed her missed shot with an offensive rebound, sneaking around Anthony for the putback.  

The Black Knights hung tough with a couple of 3-pointers by Jessie Coiffard until Bryant broke the 10-10 tie on a conventional three-point play by Danielle Douglas (Silver Spring, Md.) as the sophomore drove hard to the hoop and rolled in a lay-up as she was fouled.   

Just before the midway point of the first half, Lindsey Hudspeth (Mount Laurel, N.J.) padded the Bulldogs' lead with a trey but the Black Knights answered with back-to-back 3-pointers of their own for the advantage. Army's lead grew over the next few possessions thanks to the inside presence of Anthony to put to home squad up, 24-18 at the 7:30 mark.

Army continued to shoot well in the final stretch of the opening half, especially from 3-point range as the two teams went into halftime with Army on top, 41-26. Coiffard led all-scorers with 11 points in the first half while Bennett paced the Bulldogs with eight points and five rebounds. Army went 70 percent from 3-point range on 7-for-10 shooting from behind the arc.

The second half opened with the continued battle between Bennett and Anthony as the players swapped turnaround baskets down low, but the two scores would be the only points for either team through four minutes of action.

Army steadily added to its lead during the half, going to Anthony as well as Molly Yardley, while Bryant went to more of the same with Bennett and also received strong scoring help from Bailey. In the final ten minutes of the contest, Hudspeth and freshman Ankoma-Mensa chipped in with the Bryant scoring threat but Army maintained its lead and held on for the eventual victory despite a late run by Bryant in the final minutes of the half.

The Black and Gold return to Northeast Conference action on Jan. 5 when they visit Monmouth at 7:00 p.m.