Women's hoops opens NEC play at LIU, Sat. at 2 pm

Watch: NECFrontRow.com
Live Stats: LIUAthletics.com
Follow along on Twitter: @BryantGameday

FULL GAME NOTES

ON TAP AT STEINBERG WELLNESS CENTER
The Bryant University women's basketball team opens Northeast Conference play when it heads to Brooklyn, N.Y., for a showdown with the LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds, Saturday at 2 p.m.

THE SERIES
Saturday will mark the ninth meeting between Bryant and LIU Brooklyn with the Bulldogs holding a 5-3 all-time series lead over the Blackbirds. Dating back to the 2012-13 season, the Black and Gold have won three-straight against LIU, including a pair of victories last year.

SCOUTING THE BLACKBIRDS
LIU Brooklyn enters Saturday's contest with a 3-8 overall record in non-conference play, most recently coming off an 85-53 loss at Cal State Bakersfield on Tuesday. After opening the year dropping their first six games, the Blackbirds rattled off three-straight wins over NJIT, Howard, and Buffalo before dropping a pair in California over the holiday.

Junior guard Sophie Bhasin leads the team with 13.2 points in just 26 minutes per game, to go along with 4.9 rebounds and nearly 2.0 steals per contest. Senior guard Letava Whippy leads the squad on the glass, posting 8.2 rpg and ranks second in scoring at 8.3 ppg. LIU has 11 players who see at least 10 minutes per game, with not a single player on the roster playing more than 28 mpg.

The Blackbirds average just over 60 ppg as a team and shoot 37 percent from the field (last in NEC), while allowing almost 68 ppg to opponents. Their 12.2 steals per game are tops in the league and their 42.2 rpg are tied for first in the conference with the Bulldogs.

WELCOME TO NORTHEAST CONFERENCE PLAY
After a long two months of non-conference play, NEC action is upon us as the 18-game, two-plus month schedule commences Saturday for all 10 teams. Last year, the Bulldogs finished conference play with an 11-7 overall record, good for a share of third place in the standings, earning an NEC Tournament Quarterfinal home game (both program records). The Black and Gold got off to a blistering start a year ago, opening league play with a 5-1 record through the first third of play. Bryant advanced all the way to the Tournament Semifinals before falling to eventual champion Robert Morris, 72-67.

WELCOME TO THE CLUB
Senior point guard Jenniqua Bailey became the 22nd player in Bryant women's hoops history to score her 1,000th career point on Saturday at UNH, and just the third to do so all at the Division I level. Bailey, who currently ranks third in scoring in Bryant DI history, would need just 283 points to become the programs all-time DI leading scorer currently held by Naana Ankoma-Mensa (1,282).

DOUBLE TROUBLE
After notching 10 double doubles a season ago, junior Breanna Rucker has recorded nine double dips through the first 11 games this season. Rucker is currently averaging 14.6 ppg (7th in NEC) and 10.7 rpg (2nd in NEC), while ranking sixth in FG percentage (.434).

WINDER COMES UP CLUTCH
Junior guard Tiersa Winder was instrumental in Bryant's come-from-behind victory at UNH on Wednesday, scoring 13 of her 16 points in the second half, including a game-winning 3-pointer with 4.5 seconds left. Winder is currently averaging 13.7 ppg (10th in NEC), while knocking down at least a pair of triples per game (4th in NEC).

NIFTY FIFTIES
The Bulldogs were held to under 60 points for just the second time this season in Wednesday's 57-54 victory at UNH. Bryant has now been held to under 60 points for the second-straight game, averaging just 56.5 ppg during that span compared to 74.1 ppg through the first nine contests.

THIEVES IN THE NIGHT
Bryant recorded 11 steals in Wednesday's victory at UNH, marking the second most thefts for the Bulldogs this season and just the third game in which they posted 10+ steals. The Black and Gold currently average just over eight steals per game, good for third in the NEC.

STARTING FIVE
All five Bulldog starters (Jenniqua Bailey, Tiersa Winder, Ivory Bailey, Breanna Rucker, and Morgan Olander) are averaging at least 10 points per game enter Wednesday's game and all rank in the top 16 in the Northeast Conference in scoring, making Bryant the lone team to accomplish that feat.

WINDEX
Always among the top rebounding teams in the Northeast Conference, Bryant once against sits near the top in almost every rebounding category in the NEC rankings. Outrebounding opponents by an average margin of 6.6 rpg (first in NEC), the Bulldogs have outrebounded the opposition in 10 of 11 games this season, averaging nearly 43 rpg (also first in NEC).

DROPPIN' DIMES
Senior point guard Jenniqua Bailey dished out a career-high nine assists on Dec. 6 at Cornell and currently ranks second in the Northeast Conference in assists per game with 5.73. The senior has handed out at least eight helpers in four contests this season and needs just 53 assists to get 400 for her career.

AND THE AWARD GOES TO…
The Bryant women's basketball program has been well represented on the Northeast Conference weekly awards this season with a Bulldog earning either Player of the Week or Rookie of the Week honors in four of the first five weeks. Most recently, Ivory Bailey's 18.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg, and 3.0 spg vs. Holy Cross and Cornell earned her the dual honor of Player and Rookie of the Week on Dec. 8. Last season, Bryant did not receive a single NEC weekly honor.

WELCOME TO THE CENTURY CLUB
Senior point guard Jenniqua Bailey appeared in her 100th career game on Nov. 30 vs. PC, becoming just the eighth player in Division I program history to do so. Bailey, currently at 105 career games, is within reach of breaking the all-time program record for games played in a career (121), a mark currently held by Dede Fogarty (2001-05).

ON THE ROAD AGAIN
On Tuesday, Nov. 18 at Vermont, the Bryant opened a stretch with eight of its first 13 games away from the Chace Athletic Center. Last season, the Bulldogs posted an 8-9 overall record on the road.

TICKET TO THE RIDE
Single-game and season ticket packages are still available for the 2014-15 men's and women's basketball seasons. Fans can purchase tickets online at www.bryantbulldogs.com/tickets or by calling the Bryant Athletics Ticket Office at 401-519-TIXX.

CAN'T MAKE IT TO THE GAME?
Bryant University Athletics and the Northeast Conference have partnered with Pack Network to create NEC Front Row, the home for all NEC men's and women's basketball broadcasts in 2014-15. Visit www.NECFrontRow.com for more information and a schedule of events.