Bulldogs down Army to kick off New Year

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University women's basketball team returned to the Chace Athletic Center for the first time in three games and opened the New Year with an exciting 64-54 victory over the visiting Army Black Knights on Tuesday afternoon.

With a one-point lead with 4:12 left in regulation, the Bulldogs (8-5) took control in the final minutes of the game with strong defense and clutch three-point shooting, sending the Black Knights (6-9) to their seventh straight loss.

Four different players registered double-digit scoring figures for the third time this season, with junior Katie Whittington (Twinsburg, Ohio) and sophomore Courtney Schissler (Branford, Conn.) leading the home team with 16 points apiece. 

Following closely in scoring and posting her fourth double-double of the year with 15 points and a team-leading 14 rebounds was sophomore Naana Ankoma-Mensa (Brampton, Ont.), while junior Meredith Soper (Winthrop, Mass.) dropped 13 points and garnered eight boards and a team-high four steals to round out the double-digit scoring club.

Army's Anna Simmers posted a team-high 14 points, edging teammate Olivia Schretzman's 13-point outing, while the latter registered a 66.7 field-goal percentage on a 6-of-9 shooting clip.  Schretzman also led the Black Knights in the paint, amassing a team-high seven boards. 

Ankoma-Mensa enjoyed a particularly outstanding first half in which she went 7-of-7 from the field dropping all of her 15 points on the game.  The sophomore forward did not record a field goal in the second half (0-for-3), but did garner seven boards in the frame.

The Brampton, Ont., native's hot shooting was felt up and down the Bryant lineup, as the Bulldogs posted a solid 14-of-28 clip from the field for an even 50.0 percent shooting percentage in the first half, slightly better than Army's 43.8 percent mark on 14-of-32 shooting.  Both teams cooled off significantly in the second half, as Bryant finished the game shooting 38.2 percent (21-of-55), while the Black Knights shot 20-of-58 for a 34.5 percent mark from the field.

After taking a 36-34 lead into the intermission, the Black Knights came out of the locker room looking to set the pace at the start of the second half and did so by reeling off the first five points of the half.  Bryant's hot first-half shooting, meanwhile, was nowhere to be seen to start off the stanza, as the Bulldogs missed their first eight shots of the second half.

Soper finally turned the tide in favor of the Black and Gold, converting the first made basket of the half for the Bulldogs before bringing the home team to within one on another made layup.  After Soper forced a turnover, Schissler put the Bulldogs ahead with her fourth three-pointer of the game followed by a trey from junior Danielle Douglas (Silvler Springs, Md.), pushing Bryant in front 45-41 with 13:10 to play.

In the ensuing five minutes, the Black Knights climbed right back into the game and went ahead, 48-46, with 8:11 remaining.  Soper would tie the contest after drawing a foul and nailing both free throws, but Army responded with a layup by Simmers to go back up by two entering a media break at the 7:21 mark.

Army would go ahead by a point with 5:26 to play, but that was the last time the Black Knights would hold a lead, as Bryant ended the game on a 14-4 run in the final five minutes to seal the deal.  Whittington led the way with 12 of those points, including a pair of clutch three-pointers to put away the Black Knights for good.  The Twinsburg, Ohio native was phenomenal at the free-throw line, matching a previous season high on a perfect 10-of-10 clip from the charity stripe.

The Bulldogs finished the game with a 48-33 lead in rebounding and a slim 11-10 edge in total steals, while the Black Knights registered three blocks compared to one for Bryant. 

With non-conference play wrapped up, the Bulldogs will turn their attention to Northeast Conference competition for their final 16 games, kicking off that stretch with a pair of games this weekend. 

Bryant will welcome Keystone State opponents Saint Francis (PA) and Robert Morris on Saturday, Jan. 7 and Monday, Jan. 9, respectively.  Tip-off for Saturday's showdown with the Red Flash is set for 1 p.m.

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