Bulldogs head to Brooklyn, take on Blackbirds, Saturday at 2 p.m.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bryant (16-12, 13-4 NEC) | 15 | 12 | 19 | 16 | 62 |
|
LIU Brooklyn (8-20, 6-11 NEC) | 8 | 16 | 12 | 17 | 53 |
SMITHFIELD, R.I. - In the fight to maintain second in the Northeast Conference standings, the Bryant University women's basketball team travels to LIU Brooklyn, Saturday at 2 p.m., looking to keep a one-game lead over third place Saint Francis U.
THE SERIES
This contest will mark the 21th meeting between the Bulldogs and Blackbirds with the series in Bryant's favor, 8-3. The Bulldogs have found victories in the last six meetings, losing to LIU Brooklyn last on Feb. 6, 2012, 50-41. Last year's contest on Jan. 26 was forced into extra time, resulting in a Bryant overtime victory, 88-85.
SCOUTING THE BLACKBIRDS
The Blackbirds 6-10 in conference play, coming off back-to-back losses against Saint Francis U., 72-64, on Feb. 20 and Robert Morris, 69-53, on Feb. 22. LIU Brooklyn forces competitors into turnovers with their aggressive style of defense, averaging 8.7 steals per game, which is good for the third-most in the NEC. The Blackbirds are led offensively by Shanovia Dove who scores 13.9 points per game, shooting 32 percent from the floor and 78.2 percent from the line. Shanice Vaughan has started 25 games for the Blackbirds, averaging the team's second-highest 12.2 points per game, shooting a team-high 44.1 percent from the floor.
In the last two weeks of conference play, the Bulldogs have won on Saturday but lost on Monday. In an unexpected loss, the Bulldogs fell, 58-57, to St. Francis Brooklyn on Monday, Feb. 15. The following Monday, Feb. 22, the Bulldogs lost their fight for first place in the league, dropping the contest, 64-60, to Sacred Heart. Saturday, Feb. 13 and Saturday, Feb. 20, both saw some of the best numbers for the Black and Gold, as they defeated Wagner, 94-67, and Mount St. Mary's, 86-52. The Bulldogs currently sit 5-3 on Mondays and 8-2 on Saturdays.
FITTY (PER)CENT
Despite a team 37.5 percent shooting night against Sacred Heart on Feb. 22, sophomore Ivory Bailey and junior Morgan Olander both led the team, hitting 50 percent from the floor. The guard and center each shot 5-for-10 from the field, while Bailey also finished 3-for-4 from behind the arc. Bailey and Olander each finished with double-digit points, as Bailey led the Bulldogs in scoring on the night (13).
#FIGHTFORFIRST
Although the Bulldogs lost their immediate fight for first place against Sacred Heart on Monday, the team still has a chance dependent upon how the last two games of the season shake out. One thing for certain is that the Bulldogs need to win out against LIU Brooklyn and Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday and Monday.
CLINCHED
Posting a 12-4 NEC record, the Bulldogs have solidified a spot in the league's postseason, beginning on Sunday, March 6. The Bulldogs currently rank second in the conference, sitting two games behind Sacred Heart, who they split with this season. The Black and Gold have a one-game edge over third place Saint Francis U., who they also split games with this year.
DOUBLE THE TROUBLE
Four Bulldogs have earned double-doubles this season, led by senior Breanna Rucker, who notched her 17th double-double of the 2015-16 season against Sacred Heart off a game-high 13 points and 10 rebounds (Feb. 22). Her performance marks her eighth-straight double-double game. Rucker's 17 double-doubles rank first in the NEC and seventh in the nation. Junior Morgan Olander recorded her first double-double performance of the season against the Pioneers, posting 10 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Sophomore Ivory Bailey recorded her fourth double-double of the season and fifth of her career off 10 points and 10 rebounds against Saint Francis U. (Jan. 25), marking two-straight games with such a performance. Junior Alex Klein logged her first-career double-double off 14 points and a game-high 16 rebounds against Brown (Dec 6).