Bulldogs erase eight-point deficit, win 65-53 at Central Connecticut

NEW BRITAIN, CONN. – Fighting back from an eight-point deficit in the third quarter, the Bryant University women's basketball team found its 10^th-straight victory, defeating Central Connecticut, 65-53, on the road in front of a nationally audience on ESPN 3.

Head coach Mary Burke let the dogs out in the fourth quarter, as the Black and Gold came steaming back on a 16-1 run to take the lead, 57-49, including 10 unanswered points, which marked the Bulldog's (13-8, 10-0 NEC) largest scoring streak of the contest. The visitors' scoring streak included back-to-back Bryant threes from freshman Kierra Palmer (Aberdeen, Md.) and senior Tiersa Winder (Baltimore, Md.). During the stretch, Bryant forced the Blue Devils (8-13, 5-5) into a five-second violation, resulting in made layup down the other end from junior Morgan Olander (Mansfield, Conn.), 55-49, with 5:41 left in the game. The Bulldogs continued to dominate the period, winning the battle at the charity stripe, 8-3, in the last 2:38 of regulation, which helped seal their 10th-straight victory, 65-53.

Senior Breanna Rucker (Cincinnati, Ohio) recorded her 11th double-double of the season, after ripping down a defensive rebound with 0:47 seconds to play in the game, sending her to the line, where she executed both free throws. The reigning NEC Player of the Year finished with game-leading 23 points and 13 rebounds in her 38 minutes of play. Winder finished with 18 points, including three from downtown, as she finished 42.9 percent (3-7) from outside while grabbing a season-high five steals.

The Bulldogs shot a strong 40.4 percent (21-52) from the field, headed by Rucker's seven buckets from the floor. The Black and Gold outperformed the Blue Devils at the line, making 18-of-22 (81.8 percent), while the home team finished 12-of-20 (60 percent). Rucker shot 9-for-10 from the charity stripe, while Palmer netted 4-of-6 and Winder went 3-for-4.

The Blue Devils were led offensively by Aleah Epps with 14 points, finishing 5-for-6 from the line. The 5-4 junior point guard also led her team with four steals and seven boards, all of which came on the defensive end. In their first rebounding differential deficit of the season, the Bulldogs lost the battle on the boards, 36-33.

The Blue Devils opened the second quarter strong, finding the first tying score, 18-18, since 9:24 in the first, after Kiana Patterson drained the three with 8:37 to go in the half. The Blue Devils found their first lead of the game, 21-19, when Epps fired one from downtown with 7:52 to play. Back-to-back Blue Devil layups in transition led to a three-point edge for the home team, 25-22, with 4:50 on the clock. With 2:17 to go in the second, sophomore Ivory Bailey (Wyomissing, Pa.) swished a deep three to push the Bryant run to five, as the visitors took back the lead, 27-25. The Black and Gold closed out the first half of play with the same margin, 29-27, with Rucker leading the way with 17 points in her 18 minutes of play.

Bailey came up big defensively for the Bulldogs, rejecting Epps on two occasions in the third quarter, including a block at the 5:20 mark that forced a Blue Devil turnover. At the media timeout in the third, 4:44, the Bulldogs led, 36-31, after a three from Winder in the corner advanced Bryant's lead back to five. Out of the break, the Blue Devils formed a 10-0 run, earning back the lead for the first time since 4:35 in the second, including the tying 3-pointer from Patterson with 3:17 on the clock. The second half of the quarter continued to play out in Central Connecticut's favor, as they took their then largest lead of the game, 46-38, with 25 seconds on the clock, off two free throws from Kayla Miller. Winder responded with one from downtown on the ensuing play, but her efforts were nearly erased, as Epps went end line-to-end line, hitting a jumper as the period expired, 48-41, Blue Devils.

The Bulldogs continued to fight in the final 10 minutes and pulled out the 65-53 victory on the road. Bryant heads to Pa. next, as they take on Robert Morris on Saturday, Feb. 6 at 1 p.m. and Saint Francis U. on Monday, Feb. 8 at 5 p.m.