Rucker scores 1,000th point, Minutewomen hold Bulldogs off, 86-69 in Smithfield, Wednesday night

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – After closing the gap to six points with eight and a half minutes to play, the Bryant University women's basketball team allowed Massachusetts a 12-point run, leading the Minutewomen to prevail, 86-69, Wednesday night in Smithfield.

Senior Breanna Rucker (Cincinnati, Ohio) reached 1,000-career points on a layup, after receiving the feed from Ivory Bailey (Wyomissing, Pa.) early in the fourth quarter to help pull the Bulldogs within seven. The layup was part of Rucker's 10-straight points for the Bulldogs. The power forward finished with her third double-double of the season off 11 rebounds and 13 points.

In the fourth quarter, the Minutewomen still found ways to drive to the basket and hit shots down the stretch, leaving the Bulldogs scoreless for three and a half minutes. Senior Tiersa Winder (Baltimore, Md.) ended the dry spout, finishing a layup late in the game to put the Bulldogs within 19. The opposing teams traded baskets in the last five minutes of play, allowing the Minutewomen to come out on top.

Massachusetts started the game with great intensity, winning the tap and scoring on their opening possession. The visitors began the game with a 6-0 run, until Alex Klein (Waterloo, Ont.) came up with an offensive rebound, was fouled on the put back and hit one of two foul shots to put the Bulldogs on the board.

Klein scored Bryant's first three points of the game from the line, before Winder got going, scoring the Bulldogs' next eight. The senior guard finished with a team-high 23 points on 8-12 from the floor, 4-8 from three-point land and 3-3 from the line.

Midway through the first period, freshman Kierra Palmer (Aberdeen, Md.) nailed a trey to pull the Bulldogs within four. Following, Massachusetts went on a run towards the end of the quarter put the home team down 27-18, with Amherst shooting 62.5% from the floor.

The Black and Gold did a good job containing the Minutewomen in the opening five minutes of the second quarter, pulling within six after a layup from Palmer. The latter half of the period was controlled by Amherst, when they scored four-straight baskets and held Bryant to four minutes without a score. Palmer nailed a three at the top of the key in transition to close out the half, 41-29, with the Minutewomen leading.

In the top of the first half, Bryant began to come alive, finding each other in transition and forcing Massachusetts into tough shots. In the first few minutes, Bailey found junior Morgan Olander (Mansfield, Conn.) streaking middle, who was able to finish the basket to pull the Bulldogs within 12. Not long after, Palmer passed to Bailey for the transition three, followed by a Winder drive and finish at the basket.

With six minutes to play in the third, Rucker forced Amherst into a bad pass and Winder came up with the steal and bunny down the other end to close the deficit to eight points. The Minutewomen kept finding ways to respond, including a deep three by Leah McDerment to advance their lead back to 12 halfway through the period.

The Bulldogs closed the gap to seven, the smallest of the quarter, after Palmer picked the pocket of Bria Stallworth. Palmer was then fouled, which turned into one made free throw for the Black and Gold. Palmer finished the game with a career-high nine points and helped the Bulldogs hold the Minutewomen to a tie in the third quarter, with each opponent scoring 20 points.

Bryant shot 37.9% from the floor, 36.4% from behind the arc and 77.3% from the line. Massachusetts closed with shooting 60% from the floor, 66.7% from three and 60.9% from the line, including double-digit scoring by four different players.

The Bulldogs were plagued by turnovers, recording 25 turnovers, while only dishing out nine assists. The Black and Gold forced the visitors into 16 turnovers, including eight steals by the Bryant defense.

The Bulldogs return to action in Smithfield on Sunday, Dec. 6 at 1 p.m. in an in-state matchup against Brown.