BULLDOGS DROP NEC RIVALRY WEEK FINALE, FALL AT CENTRAL CONNECTICUT, 61-53, MONDAY

NEW BRITAIN, CONN. – Trailing by 14 with 6:29 left in the second half, the Bryant University women's basketball team mustered a late run to cut the lead to four but it would not be enough as the Bulldogs fell to Central Connecticut, 61-53, in the finale of the Northeast Conference's rivalry week Monday night at Detrick Gymnasium.

Bryant (8-17, 5-9 NEC) was led offensively by sophomores Meredith Soper (Winthrop, Mass.), who had 12 points and eight rebounds, and Danielle Douglas (Silver Spring, Md.), who also had 12 and added seven boards. Freshman Krista Ferrentino (East Longmeadow, Mass.) chipped in off the bench with eight points and seven rebounds.  

Justina Udenze paced Central Connecticut (15-9, 8-6 NEC) with a game-high 17 points while Alexandria Dowdy and Kerrianne Dugan added 13 and 11, respectively.  

The teams opened the contest with even scoring for the first ten minutes, until three straight baskets by Dowdy sparked a 16-2 run for the Blue Devils and put the home team out in front, 25-15, at the 6:42 mark. After Lindsey Hudspeth (Mount Laurel, N.J.) ended the scoring drought with a 3-pointer, the Bulldogs played tough throughout the rest of the half and brought the lead down to five at one point but the home side went into halftime with a 34-28 advantage.

Bryant was paced by the play of Douglas in the opening 20 minutes who scored 10 points and grabbed six rebounds while Central's Udenze led all players with 13 points on 3-for-6 shooting from the floor.

The Bulldogs kicked off the second stanza with a quick three points by Ferrentino to bring the deficit down to three, but the Blue Devils answered with a 6-0 run for the 40-31 lead with 15:56 remaining.  Central continued to find the basket, taking advantage of Bryant turnovers over the next eight minutes as a steal and subsequent lay-up by Dowdy gave the home side a 51-38 lead at the 7:29 mark.

Bryant was able to muster one last 8-0 run late in the contest, highlighted by Jenniqua Bailey's (Bloomfield, Conn.) ability to get to the line and a Soper 3-pointer, followed by another 4-0 spurt to cut the lead to four with 1:36 remaining, but the home side held off the Bulldog comeback and went on to win, 61-53.    

The Black and Gold return to NEC action on Saturday, Feb. 19 when they play host to Sacred Heart at 5:30 p.m.