Bulldogs regain lead in third, unable to hold on, Friars take it, 88-78

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – After fighting back from a 15-point deficit in the second quarter, to take the lead by three in the third, the Bryant University women's basketball loses a tough battle to Providence, 88-78, in the capital on Wednesday night.

The Bulldogs (2-6) were down by 15 after Providence (3-5) senior Clara Chee hit a three from downtown with 3:46 to play in the first half, before Morgan Olander (Mansfield, Conn.) hit a free throw to ignite the Bulldogs' 11-point run with 3:23 to play in the second quarter.

Guards Tiersa Winder (Baltimore, Md.) and Kierra Palmer (Aberdeen, Md.) hit back-to-back 3-pointers to pull the Bulldogs within eight, 42-34, with 2:06 to go in the period. Breanna Rucker (Cincinnati, Ohio) scored the next four points to close the gap to four, 42-38, before Sarah Beal finished out the half with a layup to put the Friars back up six, ending the Bulldogs' longest run of the game.

The Black and Gold carried the intensity into the second half, pulling within one after a three from Ivory Bailey (Wyomissing, Pa.), 46-45 (8:08). A bucket in the paint by Dani Anderson (Wellington, Kan.) gave the Bulldogs' their first lead of the game since 6:38 in the first quarter. Anderson followed with a layup to give the Bulldogs their largest margin of the contest, 49-46, at the six-minute mark in the third.

After the fifth tie of the contest, Providence took a one-point lead, 52-51, with 3:37 to play in the third off two good free throws by Maddie Jolin, and the Friars never looked back, winning, 88-78.

Winder finished as the Bulldogs' top scorer, recording 18 points off 6-for-15 shooting from the field and 2-of-6 from 3-point land. Rucker recorded her fourth double-double of the season on 14 points and 10 rebounds, three of which were grabbed on the offensive boards. Bailey completed the contest with 17 points, while Alex Klein (Waterloo, Ont.) sunk 13. The Bulldogs finished the game shooting 43.9 percent from the floor, 31.3 percent from three and 62.5 percent from the line.

Providence shot 50.8 percent overall, 62.5 percent from behind the arc and 87.5 percent from the foul line. Beal and Jovana 'Yoyo' Nogic each totaled 23 points on the night, while Jolin recorded 10 and Aliyah Miller scored 20, six of which came in the fourth quarter alone.

The Friars advanced their third-quarter lead, slowly pulling away before going up a quarter-high 10 points after Nogic hit a layup with 2:47 to play. Winder pulled the Bulldogs within eight after two made free throw and 0:48 seconds to go in the contest, but the Friars held them off in the last minute.

The Bulldogs stay on the road, traveling to take on Maine on Saturday at 1 p.m.