Bulldogs notch huge win at The Mount, 69-62

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL EARNS FOURTH-STRAIGHT ROAD WIN, TOPPING THE MOUNT, 69-62, MONDAY NIGHT

EMMITSBURG, MD. – A 19-0 second-half run propelled the Bryant University women's basketball team to a huge 69-62 victory over Mount St. Mary's at Knott Arena, Monday evening.

As the clocked ticked into the final minutes of play, both teams traded buckets, but the Bulldogs (10-14, 6-7 Northeast Conference) 19-0 run earlier in the half kept them in front, 58-49, with six minutes remaining on the clock.

A Jacqueline Brewer layup, followed by a Sydney Henderson free throw brought the Mountaineers (11-14, 7-7 NEC) with six with just under four to play. After trading 1-of-2 from the charity stripe, Tara Longergan knocked down a big triple from the top of the circle to bring The Mount within three points, 59-56, with just over two minutes remaining.

A layup by Jenniqua Bailey (Bloomfield, Conn.) ended the scoring drought for Bryant, pushing the lead back to five with just over a minute to play. Two free throws from Katie Whittington (Twinsburg, Ohio) gave the Bulldogs a seven –point advantage, but a Henderson bucket brought the lead back to five with 41 ticks left on the clock.

Forced to foul, Mount St. Mary's sent the automatic Whittington to the line where she sank two, only to be answered with two from Henderson down the other end. Senior Danielle Douglas (Silver Springs, Md.) had her turn at the charity stripe, knocking down four huge freebies to secure the 69-62 win for the Bulldogs.

Bailey led the way for Bryant with 16 points, including 11 in the second half. Junior Naana Ankoma-Mensa (Brampton, Ont.) notched her 15th double-double of the season putting up 10 points and 18 rebounds, while Whittington added 11 points and four assists. Freshman Breanna Rucker (Cincinnati, Ohio) logged some key minutes for Bryant off the bench, adding 10 point and eight rebounds in 28 minutes of play.

Brewer led all scorers with 25, while Henderson finished with a solid 21 points and 7 rebounds. The tandem combined for 26 of the Mountaineer's 62 total points.

In a true team effort, the Bulldogs dominated the paint, outscoring their opposition, 34-16, in the lane, and outrebounding the hosts, 40-29. Bryant also added 24 key points from its reserves.

The Mount found themselves leading, 13-12, nearly halfway through the first half as this back-and-forth contest had three ties and three lead changes in just the first eight minutes. The Mountaineers went on to take an 18-14 advantage, but Bryant answered backed with a pair of baskets from Rucker and Maureen Leahy (Springfield, Pa.), knotting the score at 18-18 with nine minutes to play until halftime.

Thanks to some hot shooting from Brewer, the hosts were able to build a eight-point advantage, 31-23, with just over three minutes left until the break. Bryant responded with some sharp free throw shooting, cutting the Mount lead to just four, 36-32, at halftime.

Rucker lead Bryant with six points and four rebounds, while Ankoma-Mensa had five points and eight boards in 16 minutes in the first half. The Bulldogs balanced attack saw seven players record baskets, including six with at least four points. Brewer and Henderson each had 13 at the break, combining for 26 of the Mountaineer's 36 points.

Out of the locker room, Mount St. Mary's opened up a 6-1 run, extending their lead to nine, but Bryant answered with a pair of baskets of their own to cut the hosts lead to just five, 42-37, just over four minutes into the final frame.

After weathering the Mountaineer's run, the Bulldogs rallied with 10-striaght points of their own to regain the advantage, 43-42, at the 13:33 mark for the first time since the first half. By the time it was all said and done, Bryant rattled off a 19-0 run that spanned nearly seven minutes, granting the visitors a 52-42 lead with ten minutes to play.

The Bulldogs have now won their last four road games, and six of their last eight overall as they head back to Smithfield for a crucial showdown with Central Connecticut State on Saturday (1 p.m.).

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