Bulldogs look for fifth-straight W at Wagner Monday (7 p.m.)

Watch: NECfrontrow.com
Live Stats: WagnerAthletics.com

FULL GAME NOTES

ON TAP AT THE SPIRO SPORTS CENTER
The Bryant University women's basketball team will look for its fifth-straight victory when it wraps up its season series vs. Wagner, Monday evening (7 p.m.) in Staten Island, N.Y.

THE SERIES
Monday will mark 11th all-time meeting between the Bulldogs and Seahawks with Bryant holding a commanding 9-1 series lead since the 2008-09 season. After dropping the first eight matchups, Wagner picked up its first-ever win over the Black and Gold last season in Smithfield, however the Bulldogs got some revenge earlier this year when they put together an 84-48 rout of the Seahawks. In the Jan. 19 contest, Breanna Rucker led the Bulldogs with 27 points and 15 rebounds, while Ivory Bailey put up 16 points and a career-high 13 boards for her first-career double-double. Bryant also knocked down a season-high 11 3-pointers in the game, going 11-for-16 (.688) from deep.

SCOUTING THE SEAHAWKS
Despite high expectations at the beginning of the season, Wagner has struggled to put it all together in 2014-15, entering Monday's contest with a 6-20 overall record, 4-11 vs. Northeast Conference opponents, most recently falling at LIU Brooklyn on Saturday. Despite sitting in a tie for ninth place in the NEC standings, the Seahawks' postseason chances are still alive and well with three games to go.

Led by the nation's leading scorer and reigning NEC Rookie of the Year Jasmine Nwajei's 24.8 points per game, Wagner is averaging just under 63 ppg as a team. Nwajei also leads the team with 6.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists per contest and accounts for 40 percent of Wagner's total shots. Her counterpart, junior guard Jordyn Peck, ranks second on the team with 12.3 ppg and accounts for nearly 20 percent of the team's total shots.

As a team, Wagner allows almost 77 ppg (9th in NEC) and is outscored by an average of over 14 ppg (10th in NEC). The Seahawks do however rank third in the league in blocked shots (3.27 bpg) and fourth in steals (8.62 spg).

LAST TIME OUT
Behind 34 combined points from juniors Breanna Rucker and Tiersa Winder the Bryant University women's basketball team won its fourth-straight contest, taking down Robert Morris, 69-66, Saturday afternoon at the Chace Athletic Center.

With the win, the Bulldogs (19-7, 12-3 Northeast Conference) not only set a Division I program record for NEC wins in a season, but they also move into a three-way tie for first place in the league standings along with the Colonials (14-12, 12-3 NEC) and Central Connecticut who knocked off Sacred Heart on Saturday. Bryant's fourth-straight victory also snapped an 11-game Robert Morris winning streak.

Rucker and Winder led the way for the Bulldogs, each finishing with a team-high 17 points, with Rucker logging her 20th double-double of the season finishing with 15 boards in 39 minutes. Winder added a pair of assists and a career-high six steals in a full 40 minutes of action.

Sophomore center Morgan Olander added 12 points and nine rebounds, while senior point guard Jenniqua Bailey chipped in nine points and seven helpers. Freshman guard Ivory Bailey finished with seven points, six boards, and three assists in 38 minutes.

Juniors Dani Anderson and Maureen Leahy combined for seven points, logging some quality minutes off the Bulldog bench.

Freshman Megan Smith paced Robert Morris with 23 points, 19 of which came in the second half, while Lou Mataly (11) and Judith Sole (10) rounded out the RMU double-digit scorers.

NEC STANDINGS HEATING UP
With just three games remaining in the regular season, the top half of the Northeast Conference standings could not be any tighter. Bryant, Central Connecticut and Robert Morris currently sit in a three-way tie atop the NEC standings with a 12-3 league mark. Entering Monday's games, only the top four teams have a winning record in NEC play, with the three first-place schools and Sacred Heart serving as the only teams to clinch an NEC Tournament berth.

BRYANT BREAKS DI SINGLE-SEASON WIN MARK
The Bulldogs earned their 18th regular season victory with their win at Fairleigh Dickinson on Feb. 16, breaking the Division I program record for wins in a season set just last year (17, 2013-14). Bryant also set a new program record for NEC wins in a season (12) with its victory over Robert Morris on Saturday. With three regular season games remaining, the Black and Gold also have an opportunity to set the program record for total wins in a season (22, 2003-04, 1987-88).

PLAYOFFS?!
With the win over Mount St. Mary's on Feb. 14, the Black and Gold clinched their third-straight postseason berth. Since becoming Division I postseason eligible in 2012-13, the Bulldogs have qualified for the NEC Tournament in each of the last three seasons, finishing 8th in 2012-13, and tied for 3rd in 2013-14.

BRING ON MONDAYS
With their 63-61 win vs. Fairleigh Dickinson on Feb. 16, the Bulldogs improved to a perfect 7-0 on Mondays this season. The Bulldogs are 13-1 this year during the work week (Mon.-Fri.) and just 5-6 on weekends.

HOME SWEET HOME
With their win over Robert Morris on Saturday, the Bulldogs improved to 11-1 overall at home this season. The Black and Gold are also a perfect 7-0 vs. Northeast Conference opponents this year at the Chace Athletic Center.

RUCKIN' N ROLLIN'
Junior forward Breanna Rucker posted her Division I program record 20th double-double of the season in Saturday's victory over Robert Morris, putting up 17 points and 14 rebounds in 39 minutes of action. Rucker's NEC-leading 11.8 rebounds per game ranks eighth in the country and her 16.2 points per contest are sixth best among league opponents. Through 26 games this season, Rucker has hit double-figures 22 times, eclipsing the 20-point plateau six times.

WINDEX
Always among the top rebounding teams in the Northeast Conference, Bryant once against sits at the top in almost every rebounding category in the league rankings. Outrebounding opponents by an average margin of 7.0 rpg (first in NEC, 18th in the country), the Bulldogs have outrebounded the opposition in 19 of 25 contests this season.

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 Monday's game, making Bryant the lone team to accomplish that feat.

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.