Bulldogs aim to fend off Black Bears in Smithfield on Saturday at 1 p.m.

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University women's basketball team looks to end its two-game losing streak, as they return home to Smithfield to host Maine on Saturday, Dec. 17 at 1 p.m.

GAME NOTES
MAINE'S GAMENOTES

THE SERIES
This contest marks the seventh meeting between the Bulldogs and Black Bears with the series tied, 3-3.

SCOUTING THE BLACK BEARS
The Black Bears enter Saturday's contest on a two-game winning streak after defeating Northeastern, 68-49, and Dartmouth, 60-55. The Black Bears have also enjoyed wins over Stonehill, Purdue, St. Peter's and Tennessee at Chattanooga. In a big-time non-conference matchup, Maine fell to Clemson, 69-61, in South Carolina.

In a very diverse lineup, the Black Bears start five players from four different countries, including Austria-native and leading scorer Sigi Koizar. The 5-8 senior guard averages 14.5 points per game, shooting 40.7 percent from the floor, 28.1 percent from three and 87.1 percent from the line. Freshman Laia Sole also averages double-digit points, putting up 10.8 per game off a team-high 45.9 percent shooting from the field. The 6-2 Spanish forward pulls down 3.5 boards per game, while 5-10 junior guard Tanesha Sutton leads the team with 5.3 rebounds per contest.

KEYS TO THE GAME
Although the smaller of the two teams, the Bulldogs should be able to win the battle on the boards, as they average 42.4 rebounds per game to Maine's 32.7. The Black Bears also average 4.7 less rebounds than their opponents, so it will be crucial for Bryant to dominate the boards and look for second-chance points on the offensive end. The Bulldogs will also have to play strong defense in the post to limit 6-2 Laia Sole's looks in the paint, as she shoots 45.9 percent on the season.

HOMETOWN HOLLOWAY
In the closest game the W. Va. native will play to home this season, Holloway notched her first double-double of the season off 12 points and 10 rebounds at Pitt. The forward is only the fourth freshman since the 2010-11 season to earn a double-double in her first season in Smithfield. The rookie's performance marks the eighth time in Division I history that a double-double has been recorded in an up-game, making her one-of-six players to do so. Holloway shot 5-for-7 from the field and 2-for-3 from the line, while grabbing two offensive and eight defensive boards. Most recently, Holloway netted a career-high 17 points at Massachusetts, finishing 7-for-13 from the field.

BEFORE THE BREAK
In Division I, the Bulldogs have historically gone 7-9 in the final two games before the holiday break. The last time Bryant won both games was in 2013, when they defeated Dartmouth and UMass Lowell.

UNFORTUNATE FOURTH QUARTER
The Bulldogs unraveled in the final 10-minute period, as they went scoreless for 6:21, as UMass enjoyed a 16-0 run to start the fourth. The Black and Gold responded to the Minutewomen's 16-point lead, putting together a 9-0 run to pull within seven, 66-59, with 2:02 to play. UMass' lead proved to be too substantial, winning, 68-62, after Bryant fought to within six off Holloway's layup as time expired.

DRY SPELLS
Bryant was held scoreless for 6:21 at Massachusetts, the longest stretch this season. The Bulldogs faced a number of major dry spells from the field at Pitt, including 8:31 in the second quarter without a field goal in which the Black and Gold turned the ball over eight times. In the third, the Black and Gold went 3:18 without a bucket from the floor, before facing a seven-minute stint without a made basket from the end of the third into the start of the fourth. Freshman Stephanie Lesko's last-minute three ended the Bulldogs 4:02 field goal-less stretch to end the fourth.

CHARITY STRIPE
After struggling from the charity stripe for a four-game stretch, the Bulldogs bounced back to shoot a Division I program-best 92.9 percent off 13-for-14, led by freshman Sydney Holloway's 6-for-6 performance against URI. Against Pitt, the Bulldogs shot a season-high 29-for-35, driven by Alex Klein's 15-for-18 shooting. The Bulldogs now average 72.8 percent from the line.

GIVEAWAYS
The Bulldogs average 20.4 turnovers a game, giving up a season-high 25 at Pitt. The Bulldogs had nine unforced turnovers in the contest and a season-high 15 unforced errors at UNH. The Black and Gold have coughed up the ball 20+ times on six occasions. This season, the Bulldogs have given up 164 points off turnovers, allowing a season-high 28 at Pitt. The Black and Gold tally 123 points off opponents' giveaways, including a season-high 24 against Vermont.

NON-LEAGUE
Against non-league competitors in Division I play, the Bulldogs sit at 49-66, including just two winning seasons against non-conference opponents. The 2014-15 season was the last time the Bulldogs entered NEC play with a winning record, sitting at 8-5, while last year, Bryant went 4-9 to start the season. Bryant's strength of schedule has played a large role in its non-league struggles, including when Bryant played Big East member Seton Hall, America East competitor Maine and ACC opponent Boston College. The more challenging non-conference schedule continues this season with games at the Big Ten's Rutgers and the ACC's Pitt, along with similar nonleague opponents that Bryant faced last season.