Bulldogs survive CCSU rally, win 68-62

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – Leading by 14 points with 10 minutes remaining, the Bryant University women's basketball team withstood a vigorous rally by host Central Connecticut State University, but the comeback eventually fell short, as the Bulldogs picked up a resounding 68-62 win at Detrick Gymnasium for the team's first conference victory of the season on Wednesday afternoon.

With nearly 30 minutes of game time already completed, the Bulldogs (7-4, 1-1 Northeast Conference) appeared to be on their way to a comfortable victory and lead by as many as 17 points early in the second frame.  But the Blue Devils (6-6, 0-2 NEC) came alive late in the second half, and scored 41 points altogether in that frame after mustering just 21 points in the first stanza.

The intensity of the conference battle – Bryant's first since an 11-point loss at Quinnipiac back on Dec. 3 – truly picked up with under seven minutes to play, as CCSU looked to its home-court advantage to spark what was up until then a relatively stagnant offense.  The Blue Devils nearly doubled their total scoring output for the entire game after the 10-minute mark of the second half, scoring 27 points in the final seven minutes, but the visitors were able to bear down in the closing moments of the contest.

Up 49-38 with 7:01 to play, CCSU hit a three-pointer that set the crowd and the home team on a run that would bring them to within 54-51 with just over four minutes to play.  But the Bulldogs took over from that point, outscoring CCSU, 14-11, in the last minutes of the game to come away with the thrilling victory.

Guided by juniors Danielle Douglas (Silver Springs, Md.) and Katie Whittington (Twinsburg, Ohio), whose team-leading 17 and 16 points, respectively, propelled the Bulldogs in the offensive end, Bryant shot 19-of-54 from the field for a respectable 35.2 percent clip, slightly lower than the 39.7 percent mark that Central Connecticut produced on a 25-of-63 shooting effort.  Sophomore Naana Ankoma-Mensa (Brampton, Ont.) controlled the rebounding battle for the Bulldogs once again, finishing with a team-high 12 boards.

Central saw three players reach double-digit scoring figures, with Kirsten Daamen leading all players with 20 points.  The junior center earned her second double-double of the year by also hauling down 13 boards, while sisters Jaclyn and Jessica Babe each recorded 14 points apiece.

The rebounding battle was won by the Blue Devils, who garnered 44 boards over Bryant's 37, but the Bulldogs fared much better in the turnover department, as giveaways were a thorn in CCSU's side throughout the afternoon.  The home team turned the ball over 24 times over Bryant's 16, a statistic that had a large impact in the final result.

Fouls were also a prevalent part of the Blue Devils' mantra, as Bryant was awarded 35 total trips to the free-throw line.  The Bulldogs converted 23 of those opportunities, good for a 65.7 percent clip from the charity stripe on the day.  Central saw just 10 free-throw chances while hitting seven of those tries for an even 70 percent mark.

Three-point shooting defined the first half for the Bulldogs, as the team was on fire from behind the stripe nailing 6-of-11 from downtown for a 54.5 percent success rate.  Bryant seemed all but destined to surpass its previous season high of eight made three-pointers in a single game, but the visitors went on to make just one more long ball on four tries in the second stanza to finish the day 7-for-15 from long range (46.7 percent).

Ahead by nine points following halftime, Bryant stormed out of the locker room with four unanswered points to kick their lead up to 14 at the 15:44 mark of the second stanza.  Junior Meredith Soper (Winthrop, Mass.) dropped her first bucket of the game, while senior Brittany Stahura (Amsterdam, N.Y.) registered her second bucket of the contest to increase the lead to 35-21.

Whittington moved into double digits with a long three, but it was followed by a layup by Jaclyn Babe who answered for the Blue Devils.  Unwiilling to back down, Douglas put home a tough layup on the other end of the play to push Bryant ahead 40-23, forcing a timeout at 14:02.

Nearing the 10-minute mark of the second frame, CCSU used a 6-0 run to get back in the game, as Daamen banked a pair of layups while Jameilia Dillon hit her first shot of the day to trim Bryant's lead to 42-31 with 11:20 to play.

It was at the 6:14 mark of the second half that Central began a stunning run that nearly cost Bryant the game, as the Blue Devils went from trailing by 14 to just three by means of a 13-2 run that brought the score to 54-51.  

The Bulldogs, however, did not allow that comeback to come to fruition, as Ankoma-Mensa answered with a layup during the very next Bryant possession.  After Whittington went to the line for two and hit both, CCSU got back to within five with back-to-back offensive boards and a layup, making it 58-53 with just less than three minutes to play.

Whittington would go right back to the line in the next Bulldog possession and calmly made both shots to increase the lead back to seven points.  After the Blue Devils committed a costly turnover, Bryant allowed the home team to send them to the line time after time with just more than a minute to go.  Despite several last-gasp shots made by Central after Bryant free-throw chances, the Blue Devils would not come closer than five points, as the Black and Gold picked up the key victory.

With the win, Bryant extended its streak of remaining undefeated (4-0) in games immediately following losses.  The Bulldogs will hope to build their third separate two-game winning streak of the year on Friday, Dec. 30, when the team takes on Columbia for the first time ever.  Tip-off is set for 4:30 p.m.

For continuing coverage of Bryant University women's basketball, check back at www.bryantbulldogs.com; be sure to follow the Bulldogs on Twitter @BryantAthletics.