Bulldogs falls to Blue Devils, 76-66

ANKOMA-MENSA LOGS 16TH DOUBLE-DOUBLE IN 76-66 LOSS VS. CCSU SATURDAY

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Despite outscoring the Blue Devils, 37-33, in the second half, the Bryant University women's basketball team fell to Central Connecticut State, 76-66, Saturday afternoon at the Chace Athletic Center.

With 7:55 left on the clock, Central Connecticut (14-12, 8-7 Northeast Conference) held a 63-45 lead, matching their largest edge of the afternoon. The Bulldogs (10-15, 6-8 NEC) were able to cut the Blue Devil edge to 15 on multiple occasions in the final minutes, but the visitors were able to maintain a double-digit advantage, 69-54, with just over three minutes on the clock.

The Bulldogs brought it within 11 points, 71-60, thanks to a Danielle Douglas (Silver Springs, Md.) steal-and-score and a pair of Katie Whittington (Twinsburg, Ohio) free throws.

The two teams traded baskets down the stretch with Bryant coming within 10 points with two minutes to play, but the Bulldogs could not get past the double-digit hump, as they fell to Central Connecticut, 76-66.

Junior guard Jenniqua Bailey (Bloomfield, Conn.) paced Bryant with 16 points, three assists and two steals, while classmate Naana Ankoma-Mensa (Brampton, Ont.) posted yet another double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Whittington finished with 13 points, including a trio of 3-pointers, while Douglas put up 10 points in 36 minutes. Freshman Breanna Rucker (Cincinnati, Ohio) added five points and a career-high 10 rebounds off the Bryant bench.

Central's Kelsey Watras led all scorers with 26 points in 27 minutes, while Jaclyn Babe and Kirsten Daamen put up 16 and 18 points, respectively. Babe also added 10 rebounds and three assists.

The Blue Devils shot 51 percent from the field while Bryant finished at 31 percent for the game. Central dominated the painted area, scoring 40 of their 76 from inside the lane, as well as outrebounding the Bulldogs, 45-35.

Despite the loss, the Black and Gold took care of the ball extremely well, turning it over a season-low 11 times, while causing 10 steals.

Central Connecticut opened the contest going 11-for-15 from the field, but even despite the hot shooting from CCSU, the Bulldogs found themselves down just nine, 23-14, 10 minutes into the opening frame. Bryant continued to push the basketball, cutting the deficit to five, 27-22, with just over seven minutes to play until the break.

The Blue Devils continued their hot shooting, rattling off a 12-3 run over the next four minutes to open up their largest lead of the afternoon, 39-25, at the 3:52 mark of the first half. The visitors maintained their double-digit advantage through the final buzzer of the first period holding a 43-29 lead at the break.

Watras led all scorers at halftime with 17 points on 6-of-6 shooting, while Jaclyn Babe and Kirsten Daamen each added 10 for the Blue Devils. As a team, Central Connecticut shot a shade up 60 percent in the first 20 minutes, while Bryant posted a 30 percent clip. Bailey, Whittington, Douglas, and Tiersa Winder (Baltimore, Md.) each put up five points for the Black and Gold.

Bryant began the second half on a 7-2 run to cut the Central lead back to single digits, 45-36 through the first media break. The two teams were back-and-forth through the 11 minute mark, but the Blue Devils were able to hold their double-digit edge, opening up their largest lead of the game, 57-41, with just 10 minutes left on the clock.

The Bulldogs have just four games remaining on their 2012-13 slate beginning with Quinnipiac in Hamden, Conn., Monday evening (7 p.m.)

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