Bulldogs close non-conference play vs. Yale

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL HOSTS YALE, WEDNESDAY NIGHT, 7 P.M.

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FULL GAME NOTES

ON TAP AT THE CHACE ATHLETIC CENTER

The Bryant University women's basketball team will continue their homestand when it closes out its non-conference slate with Ivy League-foe, Yale on Wednesday, Jan. 16 at 7 p.m. 

SERIES HISTORY

Wednesday evening will mark the third Battle of the Bulldogs, and the first since Jan. 18, 2010. Currently, the series is tied, 1-1, with Yale taking the first match-up at home, 77-71 , in January of 2009, however the Bulldogs got their revenge in Smithfield just a year leader, defeating the Ivy Leaguers, 69-62.

LAST TIME IN SMITHFIELD

The Bryant University women's basketball team needed its 11-point halftime lead to hang on and defeat Yale, 69-62, in the battle of the Bulldogs on Monday, Jan. 18, 2010 at the Chace Athletic Center.

The Bryant Bulldogs had four players in double figures, including three players with 12 points apiece. Danielle Douglas (Silver Springs, Md.) had a career day, falling just two assists and two steals short of a triple-double. Douglas scored 12 points, dished out a career-high eight assists and recorded a career-high eight steals.

Meredith Soper (Winthrop, Mass.) and senior Kelsey O'Keefe also added 12 points apiece while Siamone Bennett added 10 apiece.

Yale was led by freshman guards Megan Vasquez and Allie Messimer. Vasquez recorded a game-high 19 points and also added eight boards while Messimer scored 12 points of her own.

The Black and Gold outshot the Blue and White 45.7 percent to 33.3 percent in the second-ever battle of the Bulldogs. Bryant also out-rebounded the Ivy League member by a margin of 36-34. The Ocean State Bulldogs attempted a season-high 31 free throws. There were 65 total free throw attempts in the contest.

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS

Yale enters Wednesday night's action with a 4-9 overall mark, most recently coming off a 82-62 win over Patriot League-foe Bucknell. The trip to Bryant will mark the final non-conference action for the Connecticut Bulldogs before opening Ivy League play over the weekend.

Leading the Blue and White is sophomore Sarah Halegian and junior Janna Graf who are averaging 13 and 12 points respectively. Halegian also leads her team with three assists per contest, while Graf averages five boards a game. As a team, the Bulldogs average just over 66 points per contest, while shooting just under 40 percent from the field.

Bryant will be the fourth Northeast Conference opponent for Yale this season after falling to Quinnipiac and Sacred Heart, and defeating St. Francis Brooklyn earlier this year.

UP NEXT

The Bulldogs will host Mount St. Mary's on Saturday, Jan. 19 at 1 p.m. in the first leg of double-dip in Smithfield, followed by the Bryant men's basketball team vs. Wagner at 4 p.m.