Bryant falls to Wagner, 75-66, despite 27 from Scanlan

POSTGAME QUOTES

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Despite 27 points from freshman Hannah Scanlan (Rumson, N.J.), the Bryant University women's basketball team fell to Wagner College in the team's opening Northeast Conference game, 75-66, on Friday afternoon in Smithfield.

GAME INFORMATION

Wagner 75, Bryant 66

Records: Wagner 3-9 (1-0 NEC), Bryant 1-12 (0-1 NEC)
Location: Chace Athletic Center (Smithfield, R.I.)
Attendance: 254

COACH BURKE'S COMMENTS

"I felt, unfortunately, we struggled a little bit defensively. Wagner only averages about 47 points a game, we gave up 75. That's not where we want to be. Offensively, we looked a little sharper today where were able to get up in the 60s scoring. We cannot let teams get that comfortable and score 75 points. It was a tough, up and down game. They won the battle today."

KEY MOMENTS

• Leading by just one with 4:25 remaining in the game, Wagner's Taylah Simmons hit a pair of free throws to extend the Seahawks' lead to 3 and stop a Bryant comeback that had the Bulldogs trail by as many as 10.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Both teams came out racing to start the game. The first quarter ended with Wagner in front, 22-21. The 43 combined points were the most scored in an individual quarter on Friday.
• The Seahawks outscored Bryant, 16-11, in the second quarter, thanks to six points from Wagner's Sierra Clark.
• Bryant was able to close the gap in the third when Scanlan shifted to the Bulldogs' primary option on the floor. The freshman scored seven of her 27 points in the third frame.
• Bryant brought the score to within one in the final quarter, but Wagner ended the game on a 9-3 run to secure the victory.

STATS

• The 27 points from Scanlan is the most ever by a freshman in the team's Division I era and most by a Bulldog since the 2015-16 season. Alex Klein scored 27 points versus Robert Morris in the NEC Semifinal that season.
• Scanlan finished just a rebound short of a double-double, corralling nine boards on the afternoon.
• Redshirt junior Naomi Ashley (Hamilton, Ont.) scored eight points and grabbed a game-best 11 rebounds. She also had six assists and two steals.

GAME NOTES

• The team's 31 free throws makes and 37 attempts were the most in a game since Jan. 12, 2015 when Bryant shot 32-of-40 from the free throw line against Saint Francis U.
• Three Bulldogs attempted more than 10 free throws vs. the Seahawks. Sophomore Sydney Holloway (Morgantown, W. Va.) led the way with 11, while both Scanlan and sophomore Masey Zegarowski (Hamilton, Mass.) each had 10 attempts. Holloway finished with 14 points and Zegarowski had 11.

UP NEXT

The Black and Gold resume conference play on Dec. 31 when the team hosts Mount St. Mary's for a Noon tipoff. Tickets for the game start at just $3 as a part of Bryant Athletics Holiday ticket specials and can be purchased here.