Bulldogs still streaking with 80-63 win at Wagner Monday

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – On the heels of double doubles from sophomore forward Breanna Rucker's (Cincinnati, Ohio) and senior guard Courtney Schissler (Branford, Conn.), the Bryant University women's basketball team extended its win streak to five games with a 80-63 victory over Wagner, Monday night at the Spiro Sports Center.

With the win, the Bulldogs (7-6, 2-0 Northeast Conference) tie their longest win streak of the Division I era (2008-09), while the Seahawks (2-11, 1-1 NEC) drop their first league game on the season.

Rucker finished with a career-best 17 points to go along with 11 rebounds, while Schissler added 14 points, 10 rebounds and three steals. Senior point guard Jenniqua Bailey (Bloomfield, Conn.) put together a solid second half to finish with 19 points (9-of-10 from the line) and seven assists, while graduate student Meredith Soper (Winthrop, Mass.) rounded out the double-digit scorers with 12 points and seven caroms.

Sophomore guard Jordyn Peck had a game-high 29 points, six assists and five rebounds, while Ugo Nwaigwe finished with 11 and six.

Bryant shot a season-high 46 free throws, knocking down 38 of them (also a season high). The visitors also did a terrific job taking care of the basketball, turning it over a season-best nine times.

Picking up right where they left off, the Bulldogs wasted little time getting off to a quick start, opening up a 14-6 advantage just four minutes into the contest. However, despite Bryant's strong start, Wagner stood strong, going on a 10-5 run to cut the lead to just three points, 19-16, at the 11:39 mark of the first half.

Both teams continues to score at will, but the Black and Gold managed to push their edge to seven points, 27-20, thanks to nine early points from Soper. The Bulldogs went into the locker room with a 37-28 lead with Rucker scoring eight of Bryant's final 10 points of the first half.

The sophomore led all scorers with 12 points and eight boards at the break, while Soper chipped in with nine and four. Peck led Wagner with 11 points and four assists.

The second half began similarly to the first with Bryant maintaining its eight-point edge, 44-36, at the under-16 media break, but Wagner continued to keep the visitors in check, keeping the deficit in the single-digits through the 11-minute mark.

The Bulldogs went on to open a 7-0 run, giving them a 65-50 lead, their largest of the contest. Bryant continued to increase their advantage through the final minutes of the game, earning a convincing 80-63 victory.

The Black and Gold will put their streak to the test when they head to Pennsylvania over the weekend for showdowns with preseason favorite Robert Morris (Saturday) and Saint Francis U. (Monday).

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