Bailey hits game-winner, Klein, Olander and Bailey shine in Bulldogs', 76-74, overtime win over Crusaders

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – With 11 seconds to go in the overtime, junior Ivory Bailey (Wyomissing, Pa.) curled off a screen to receive a pass and took a dribble to her left before pulling up for what would be the game-winning basket, ultimately propelling the Bryant University women's basketball team past Holy Cross, 76-74, Monday evening in Smithfield.

In dramatic fashion the Bulldogs experienced a tied game on six occasions, including four in the fourth quarter alone, but it was the home team that was able to find the last of eight lead changes after Bailey hit the deep jumper off the pass from sophomore Kierra Palmer (Aberdeen, Md.). Bailey finished with her first double-double of the season and sixth of her career off 19 points and 12 rebounds. The NEC Preseason Selection shot 6-of-15 from the floor, 2-of-8 from three and 5-of-6 from the line, while grabbing just as many boards on the offensive end as she did on the defensive. Palmer finished the game with a season-high 12 helpers, just two shy of her career-high.

Although Bailey hit the game-winner, it was a collective Bulldog effort, as three Bulldogs finished with double-digit points, including two 20+ point scorers. Senior Morgan Olander (Mansfield, Conn.) shot 9-for-13 from the field and 2-for-4 from the charity stripe, putting up a career-high 20 points. Classmate Alex Klein (Waterloo, Ont.) continues to show off her dominant play, scoring 26 points off 10-for-19 from the floor and 6-for-7 from the line. The forward also recorded her second-career double-double, grabbing a career-high 18 boards, including 12 on the defensive glass and 6 on the offensive.

After a dominant, 21-11, first quarter, the Bulldogs struggled in the second, putting up only eight points which allowed the Crusaders to climb back into the game. The third period saw a plethora of scoring as both teams combined for 46 points, but it was ultimately Holy Cross who outscored the Bulldogs, 24-22, to pull within three, 51-48, at the end of the quarter.

The visitors built on their momentum in the third, going on an 18-3 run from the 2:28 mark in the third to the 8:25 mark in the fourth. The stretch saw both a 7-point and an eight-point streak from the Crusaders, ultimately giving them the lead, 52-51, with 8:49 remaining in the fourth. The lead change marked the first time Holy Cross had lead since 7:29 to go in the first period. The run included four threes from four different Crusaders, as the team finished 7-of-23 from downtown, while Bryant remained cold from three, hitting only 2-of-15. The final three of the stretch hit by Madalyn Smith gave the Crusaders their largest lead of the game, 55-51, with 8:25 to play. Smith would finish with 12 points in the game.

Down the stretch in the fourth, Klein and Olander combined for 15 of Bryant's 16 points. The two bigs offensive production led to the fifth tie of the contest, 67-67, as the two teams would head to overtime. It was all Bryant to start the overtime, as Olander finished a layup in the paint before Bailey hit her second three of the game to put the Bulldogs up, 72-67, with 4:16 to go in OT. The Bulldogs found their second five-point advantage in extra time following a Klein layup, 74-69, with 2:39 on the clock. Holy Cross didn't fold through the following minute, as Infiniti Thomas-Waheed scored back-to-back layups and an and-one to tie the contest, 74-74. After a Klein defensive rebound and a Bryant timeout, Palmer found Bailey for the game-winning jumper, 76-76, with 11 seconds to play. The Bulldog defense would hold out through the final ticks and go on to find their second-straight win, marking their first 2-0 start since 2014.

Bryant finished 27-for-63 from the floor and 20-for-24 from the line, while Holy Cross shot 29-for-75 from the field and 9-for-19 from the charity stripe. Holy Cross was led by Thomas-Waheed with 23 points, while Lauren Manis scored 15, Smith 12 and Katie Doherty 10. The Bulldogs out-rebounded the Crusaders, 53-36, their second-straight double-digit positive rebounding margin. The Black and Gold also dished out eight more assists than Holy Cross, 21-13, the most for the Bulldogs through the first two games.

The Bulldogs return to action at home on Thursday when they host Brown at 7 p.m.