Bulldogs return home to host Mount Saturday at 1 p.m.

SMITHFIELD, R.I. - The Bryant University women's basketball team returns to Smithfield to host Mount St. Mary's on Saturday at 1 p.m.

GAME NOTES

THE SERIES
This contest marks the 15th meeting between the Bulldogs and Mount with the series in tied, 7-7, as each team leads their home series.

SCOUTING THE MOUNT
Like the Bulldogs, the Mount enter week two of conference play after starting, 1-1. The Mount lost at LIU Brooklyn, 63-60, to open the NEC slate, but bounced back to defeat Wagner, 66-47, at home. Prior to the league win, the Mount had only defeated Morgan State and Coppin State. On average, the visitors average 15 less points than their opponents and also grab 7.2 less rebounds per game than their competitors. The Mount shoots the ball fell from the floor, connecting on 41.7 percent, behind junior center Caroline Hummell's 43.0 percent shooting from the field. Hummell averages 11.3 points in 13 starts, leading the team with a 40.0 percent mark from three, while shooting 77.0 percent from the line. Hummell is the only player to average double-digit points, while three other starters average 7.5+ points, including junior Katrice Dickson, senior Alexis Carter and graduate student Mikal Johnson.

HOME IS WHERE THE WINS ARE
Bryant is 3-1, entering its home NEC opener against Mount St. Mary's.

FROM THE LINE
The Bulldogs are second in the NEC, shooting 67.2 percent from the line, while freshman Sydney Holloway tops the league with an 88.7 percent mark from the stripe, placing her 26th in the nation.

KI-KI PALM-ER
Sophomore point guard Kierra Palmer scored a career-best 18 points in Bryant's 62-53 win at LIU Brooklyn, led by her 9-for-10 mark from the free throw line.

O'CANADA
Senior forward Alex Klein tallied back-to-back double-doubles in Brooklyn, totaling 14 points and 10 rebounds at St. Francis Brooklyn and 15 points and 10 rebounds at LIU Brooklyn. The Ontario native tallied her fourth 20+ point game against UMass Lowell, putting up a game-high 26 points, which earned her NEC Player of the Week. The senior forward also scored 26 points in the Bulldogs' home opener against Holy Cross. The other 20+ point games include Vermont and Pitt. Klein averages a team-high 16.6 points per game.

NEC OPENING WEEKEND
The Bulldogs split games in the opening weekend of NEC play, losing their debut at St. Francis Brooklyn, before beating LIU Brooklyn. The Black and Gold last split the opening two games of league play during the 2011-12 season.

PICKING POCKETS
Junior guard Naomi Ashley stole the ball five times at LIU Brooklyn, marking the second like she has done so. Ashley sits third in the NEC with 2.23 steals per game. The team finished with 12 takeaways in the contest. The Bulldogs stole the ball from URI 14 times, marking a new season best after recording 10 steals at Rutgers. Three players totaled four steals in the contest, including Ashley, Kierra Palmer and Holloway. The last time the program recorded 14+ takeaways was against Saint Francis U. on Jan. 25, 2016 (14).