Bulldogs head to Brown in search of W

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL FACES OFF WITH RHODE ISLAND-FOE BROWN WEDNESDAY AT 6 P.M.

Game Notes

ON TAP AT THE PIZZITOLA CENTER

The Bryant University women's basketball program continues its 2012-13 campaign in search of their first victory of the season when its heads to Providence, R.I., for a Wednesday evening showdown with Brown University. Game time is set for 6:00 p.m.

SERIES HISTORY

The Bulldogs and Bears have faced-off in each of the first four seasons since Bryant joined the Division I ranks. Brown currently leads the series 3-1, however the Bulldogs took down the Ivy League-foe, 64-49, last November in Smithfield. 

LAST SEASON IN SMITHFIELD, R.I.

Three players recorded double-digit points, and two barely missed double-double performances, as the Bulldogs continued their stellar start to the 2011-12 season while also picking up their first win in four tries over the Bears, 64-49.

Sophomore Stephanie Cardamone (Freehold, N.J.) matched classmate Naana Ankoma-Mensa (Brampton, Ont.) with 13 points on the night, as the former registered a new career high in scoring.  Ankoma-Mensa, meanwhile, was just one rebound shy of hitting what would have been the team's first double-double of the year, as the Ontario native finished the night with nine boards, as well as three steals and one block in 35 minutes of action.  Junior Katie Whittington (Twinsburg, Ohio) matched Brown's Hannah Passafuime with a game-high 15 points on a 5-for-10 clip from the field.

Senior Brittany Stahura (Amsterdam, N.Y.) was within reach of a double-double performance as well, hauling down a team-high 12 boards but missing the mark by two points, finishing the night with eight points and team highs in both assists (4) and steals (4).

Junior Meredith Soper (Winthrop, Mass.) posted 10 boards, trailing just Stahura's 12 rebounds on the night for the Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs received another stellar effort off the bench, as non-starters totaled 36 of the team's 64 points - good for 56.3 percent of the squad's total scoring.  

SCOUTING THE BEARS

The Bears open the 2012-13 season with a 2-3 overall record picking up wins against St. Peter's and at Rhode Island, most recently falling to Pittsburgh, 58-57, on Saturday. Brown finished last season with a 16-12 overall mark under reigning Cox Sports Rhode Island Division I Women's Coach of the Year, 25-year head coach Jean Marie Burr.

This season, the Bears are led by junior guard Lauren Clarke who is averaging 14.6 points per game and 4.8 rebounds per game, while guard and 2011-12 second team All-Ivy selection Sheila Dixon is putting up 13.4 ppg and 6.6 rpg in her senior campaign. Rounding out Brown's big-three is senior guard Lindsay Nickel who is posting a modest 9.2 ppg and 3.2 rpg.

Predicted to finish fifth in the 2012-13 Ivy League Preseason Media Poll, the Bears will look to avenge last season's loss to Bryant Wednesday evening.

BULLDOGS FALL TO YOUNGSTOWN ST. SUNDAY

Despite holding a lead for almost half of Sunday's contest, the Bulldogs fell to unbeaten Youngstown St., 75-59, to close out their Ohio roadtrip.

The Bulldogs aggressive mentality on both ends of the floor was evident from the opening whistle, however, despite shooting a season-high 52 percent from the field, Youngstown's Brandi Brown was too much to handle as the senior forward put up 26 points and 19 rebounds to lead her team to victory.

Bryant was led by another solid effort from junior Naana Ankoma-Mensa (Brampton, Ont.) who finished with a season-high 14 points and nine boards. Classmate Courtney Schissler (Branford, Conn.) added 12 points and six boards, while senior Danielle Douglas (Silver Springs, Md.) chipped in 14 points, 5 boards and 3 assists.

The hard-nosed defense by the Bulldogs continued into the final minutes of the first frame, as Ankoma-Mensa continued to control the boards. Schissler added four quick points to extend the Bryant lead to 25-19.

Just before the first half came to a close, Amanda Barger hit a huge trifecta to put Youngstown St. up, 27-25, with under a minute to play. After a pair of helter-skelter possessions from both teams, senior Katie Whittington (Twinsburg, Ohio) controlled the ball and beat her defender into the paint to nail her second basket of the afternoon, evening the score at 27-27 heading into the locker room.

In the opening minutes of the second half, the Penguins applied a halfcourt trap which seemed to stymie the Bulldogs, causing a few turnovers that allowed Youngstown St. to jump out to a 33-29 advantage.
The home team continued the aggressive play, extending the lead to 40-34, but the Bulldogs hung tough, cutting the deficit to just three off a Schissler three-point play.

Youngstown St. extended their lead to 58-47 with six minutes to play by forcing Bryant into multiple turnovers through its tough halfcourt defense.

Brown continued to be a force in the low post, dominating the glass and getting to the line consistently throughout the half. The hosts opened up a 65-49 advantage, but Bryant hung tough, putting in two quick layups to cut the lead to 65-53 with 3:13 remaining in the contest.

The Penguins closed the game on a 10-6 run, handing the Bulldogs their fourth loss of the 2012-13 season.