No. 2 Bulldogs vs. No. 3 Colonials in NEC Semifinal showdown, Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Chace Athletic Center

GAME NOTES

SMITHFIELD, R.I. - Mimicking last season, the No. 2 Bryant University women's basketball team hosts No. 3 Robert Morris in the Northeast Conference Semifinals, Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Chace Athletic Center.

THE SERIES
This contest will mark the 16th meeting between the Bulldogs and Colonials with the series mark in Robert Morris's favor, 11-4. The Bulldogs took the go ahead series win in Smithfield, 4-3, in their meeting with the Colonials on Jan. 23, 2016 (71-65). This postseason matchup marks the third-straight year the Bulldogs and Colonials have met in the NEC Tournament with RMU leading Bryant, 2-0.

SCOUTING THE COLONIALS
Across the board, Bryant and Robert Morris post comparable numbers, giving way to the second and third place finishes in the conference. While RMU averages less points per game than the Bulldogs, the team maintains a greater point margin at +5.5. The Colonials shoot the three-ball well, hitting 32.7 percent from outside, while holding opponents to a 27.9 percent mark from behind the arc. In a game that could come down to the wire, the Bulldogs have found more success from the free throw line, while RMU shoots 67.1 percent from the chalk. The Colonials are led by the scoring efforts of junior Anna Niki Stamolamprou, who averages 13.8 points per game, shooting 38.2 percent from the field. The Second Team All-NEC pick also leads the team in total assists at 103. The 5-9 guard has proven she has range, knocking down 2.20 threes per game, which places her fifth in league play.

MADE IN MARCH
This season marks the Bulldogs fourth-straight appearance in the NEC Tournament and third-straight semifinal. The Black and Gold have faced Robert Morris in back-to-back semifinals, falling to No. 1 Robert Morris, 72-67, in the 2013-14 season and No. 3 Robert Morris, 68-62, last year. The No. 8 seeded Bulldogs made their first NEC postseason appearance in the 2012-13 season, where they were defeated by No. 1 Quinnipiac, 79-55, who went on to win the league title.

ALL-NEC SELECTIONS
As announced by the league on March 5, the Bulldogs placed a member on all four teams, including senior Breanna Rucker, who earned First Team All-NEC, sophomore Ivory Bailey, a Second Team All-NEC selection, senior Tiersa Winder a third team honoree and freshman Kierra Palmer, who was named to the NEC All-Rookie Team.

BULLDOGS IN THE NEC
Since joining the Northeast Conference, the Bulldogs have gone 72-56 in league play, including their two most successful seasons last and this year, where they finished 14-4. The Bulldogs have reached the conference tournament in each of the four seasons, reaching the NEC Semifinals last year after earning a share of the regular-season title and defeating No. 7 Mount St. Mary's, 76-54, in the league quarterfinals.

AT THE POUND
When playing in the Chace Athletic Center, the Bulldogs are 66-42 since moving to Division I.

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION
Bryant's game against Robert Morris will mark the eighth time the Black and Gold have appeared on ESPN3 in Division I, posting a 3-4 record on the broadcast. The Colonials have handed the Bulldogs all three of their four national broadcast defeats, including NEC Semifinal losses on March 12, 2014 (72-67) and March 11, 2015 (68-62). Two of Bryant's three national broadcast victories occurred this season, as they defeated Robert Morris, 71-65, on Jan. 23 and Central Connecticut, 65-53, on Feb. 1. The Bulldogs first-ever ESPN3 win came at Fairleigh Dickinson on Feb. 16, 2015, when the Bulldogs took it, 63-61.