Bulldogs make it four-straight, topping Maine, 44-40

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL WINS FOURTH-STRAIGHT, TOPPING MAINE, 44-40, MONDAY NIGHT

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – A true team effort propelled the Bryant University women's basketball team to a 44-40 victory over the University of Maine Monday evening in Smithfield.

Points were hard to come by for both teams, as the Bulldogs (4-4) earn their fourth-straight win, while the Black Bears fall to 1-9 on the season.

Junior Naana Ankoma-Mensa (Brampton, Ont.) led Bryant with 11 points and 8 rebounds, while classmate Courtney Schissler (Branford, Conn.) chipped in with 10 points and three steals.

Micica Mitrovic and Anna Heise led Maine with 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Senior Danielle Douglas (Silver Springs, Md.) added nine points and a pair of blocks in the win, while freshman Breanna Rucker (Cincinnati, Ohio) put up career-highs with eight points and eight boards.

The Bulldogs were outrebounded for the first time during their four-game win streak, 45-40, but held the visitors to just 27 percent shooting from the field. Bryant was able to cause 22 Maine turnovers which they converted into 20 points.

The Black Bears opened Monday nights action by jumping out to 16-10 lead nearly halfway through the first frame.  The visitors knocked down seven of their first 14 field goal attempts, including a pair of 3-pointers, while holding Bryant to just 33 percent shooting early on.

Maine continued its hot shooting through the final minutes of the half, however the Bulldogs kept the contest close, cutting the deficit to just, 25-22, with under four minutes to play in the opening frame.

The Bulldogs closed the first half on a 9-1 run, heading into the locker room with a slight, 27-26, advantage.

Douglas leads the Bulldogs with nine points and five rebounds at the break, while Ankoma-Mensa put up seven points and three boards in the opening 20 minutes. Anna Heise leads the visitors with seven points.

Points were hard to come by in the second half of play with both teams a combined 0-11 from the field nearly five minutes into the final frame.

Ankoma-Mensa finally broke the scoreless half at the 14:45 mark, granting the Bulldogs a 29-26 advantage.

Schissler added a breakaway lay-up and a three-point-play to answer a bucket by Heise to put Bryant up 34-28 with just under 12 minutes to play in the contest.

With under ten minutes to play, Milicia Mitrovic  scored five-straight points, knocking down a 3-pointer and adding a layup to bring Maine within one;  just before Kaitlyn Hinck (Bow, N.H.) beat her defender baseline to extend the Bryant lead, 36-33, with 7:23 remaining in the game.

Maine brought the score within a single point once again, however the Black and Gold responded with six points of their own off a pair of buckets from freshman Rucker and a layup from Ankoma-Mensa, giving the home team their largest lead of the night, 42-35, with just over three minutes left.

After a free-throw from Heise brought Maine within six, Courtney Anderson picked off a pair of Bryant passes to cut the lead to just 42-40 with 1:02 remaining in the contest.

With 25 seconds remaining in regulation, the Black Bears controlled possession of the basketball. Maine's Ashleigh Roberts had a decent look at the basket but front rimmed a shot in the lane. Schissler calmly stepped up and knocked down two free-throws with six seconds left to put the Bulldogs up 44-40 and solidify their fourth-straight win.

The Bulldogs have some down time before their next action when they host Holy Cross on Dec. 21. Game time is set for 11 a.m.

For all the latest news on Bryant University women's basketball, visit BryantBulldogs.com