Bulldogs tripped up by Mount, 66-61

EMMITSBURG, Md. – The Bryant University women's basketball team's three-game winning streak came to an end on Saturday afternoon, as the Bulldogs fell on the road against Mount St. Mary's, 66-61, at Knott Arena.

Three players reached double-digit scoring for the Bulldogs (10-6, 3-2 Northeast Conference), but that would not be enough to overcome a 38-point output in the second half by the Mountaineers (7-9, 3-2 NEC), as the home team erased a seven-point halftime deficit in no time at all and ultimately prevailed in the back-and-forth affair.

Junior Meredith Soper (Winthrop, Mass.) bested all players with an 18-point performance while recording eight boards, while sophomore Naana Ankoma-Mensa (Brampton, Ont.) cruised to her fifth double-double of the season on 14 points and a game-high 16 rebounds. Junior Katie Whittington (Twinsburg, Ohio) rounded out the trio with 10 points and a team-high four assists.

Entering the game as the hottest three-point shooting team in the league, the Mount used the long ball to its advantage again, as the team that led the Northeast Conference in three-pointers made per game (6.40) dropped seven treys on 16 attempts (43.8 percent), slightly better than the Bulldogs' 5-of-14 clip (35.7 percent) from beyond the arc.

The game quite possibly was decided at the charity stripe, as the home team earned 31 trips to the line compared to just 12 for the Bulldogs. Mount St. Mary's finished the day 19-of-31 in free throw shooting (61.3 percent) while the visitors dropped 8-of-12 from the line for a 66.7 percent conversion rate.

The Mountaineers also benefited from a balanced scoring attack highlighted by three players in double figures. Ashley Christie put up a team-high 12 points, while Sydney Henderson and Rachel Mathews both finished with 11 points. Selina Mann was also a valued contributor for the Mount, chipping in nine points and dishing a game-high eight assists. Henderson, meanwhile, led all players from downtown, going 3-of-5 on the day from long range.

After taking an 11-point lead with less than two minutes to play in the first half, the Mountaineers rushed out of the locker room on an 11-2 run to tie the game at 39-39 with 15:59 remaining in the second. That lead built to as many as six points, but the Bulldogs continued to fight. 

After going back and forth over a 10-minute span, the game was even at 61-61 with 1:01 to play. The Mountaineers went ahead by two on a tough layup from Mathews, setting the stage for the visitors to at least draw even on the other end. But the Bulldogs couldn't knot it up in the closing seconds, and the Black and Gold fell for just the second time this season in games decided by five points or fewer. 

In the first half, the Bulldogs reeled off a 15-5 run to go ahead, 29-19, with less than three minutes to play. But the home team finished strong, and pulled to within seven after Henderson finished the half with a three-pointer to beat the buzzer, and Bryant took a 35-28 lead into the locker room.

It was an eye-opening start for Ankoma-Mensa, who was one rebound shy of a double-double in the first half alone. The Brampton, Ont., native recorded a half-high 12 points to go with nine boards, while Soper was right behind with 11 points by means of an impressive 5-of-6 clip from the field while also adding a three-pointer.

Other first half leaders included Whittington, who drilled two of the team's three shots from downtown while both the Bulldogs and Mountaineers went 3-of-7 from beyond the arc in the frame. Henderson paced the Mount with six points on a pair of treys, while Tara Lonergan chipped in seven points.

The home team went to the line 10 times in the opening 20 minutes, knocking down just three chances from the stripe. Bryant, meanwhile, did not shoot a single free throw in the first half.

Bryant will round out the weekend with its first meeting at Wagner this season. The Bulldogs take on the Seahawks Monday (Jan. 16) afternoon at 2 p.m.

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