#4 Bryant tops #5 St. Francis Brooklyn, 58-53, Sunday in NEC Quarterfinals

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Behind an inspired defensive effort, the #4 Bryant University women's basketball team topped #5 St. Francis Brooklyn, 58-53, in the Northeast Conference Tournament Quarterfinals, Sunday night at the Chace Athletic Center.

They say one of the hardest things in basketball is beating a team three times in the same season, however on Sunday, the Bulldogs (17-13, 11-7 Northeast Conference)  completed the feat by topping the Terriers (17-13, 11-7 NEC) for the third time this year, earning the right to play #1 Robert Morris in the NEC Tournament Semifinals on Wednesday.

Sunday's win marks the first Division I postseason victory in program history and the first playoff win for the Bulldogs since the 2007-08 season.

Senior forward Naana Ankoma-Mensa (Brampton, Ont.) put up her 14th double double of the season with 12 points and 14 rebounds in 39 minutes while Courtney Schissler (Branford, Conn.) lead the Bulldogs in scoring with 13 points to go along with eight boards. Seniors Jenniqua Bailey (Bloomfield, Conn.) and Stephanie Cardamone (Freehold, N.J.) each added 10 points apiece with Bailey dishing out five assists.

Katie Fox led all scorers with 14 points and a game-high seven assists, while Leah Fechko, Jaymee Veney and Sarah Benedetti each chipped in a dozen.

Falling right in line with the first two matchups between the Bulldogs and Terriers, the first half was a defensive battle with both teams shooting less than 30 percent from the field. But it was Bryant who open up the five-point advantage, 17-12, with just under three minutes to play until the halftime break.

Fechko answered the mini run with a deep corner 3-pointer to cut the deficit to just a basket but Bryant rallied just before the end of the half to build the lead to six points, 21-15, heading into the locker room.

The Black and Gold put up a balanced performance in the first half with six player making it into the scoring column led by six from Schissler. Fechko and Veney paced the Terriers with six points apiece.

The second half brought on better shooting fortunes for the Bulldogs who sat at 50 percent (5-10) nearly halfway through the period, however the Terriers (despite shooting just over 30 percent at the same point) did not allow Bryant's lead to grow any larger than nine through the 10-minute mark.

The Bulldog defense continued to stymie the St. Francis offensive attack of the next three minutes, who seemingly could not get anything to fall, as Bryant's lead grew to its largest of the night, 41-31, with 6:44 left on the clock. Moments later, a huge 3-pointer from Cardamone push the Bulldog's edge to 14 points, 48-34, with just over four minutes left.

The Terriers did not go down without a fight when three-straight trifectas, including a pair from Benedetti, brought the visitors with seven, 50-43, with just over three minutes remaining in the game. Forced to apply full court pressure, St. Francis was unable to get stops on the defensive end and struggled scoring on the opposite side as the Bulldogs held on for the 58-53 victory.

The Black and Gold will head to Moon Township, Pa., for the second time this season for a NEC Semifinal showdown with top-seeded Robert Morris, Wednesday night at 7 p.m.

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