Bryant comes from behind to defeat Mount St. Mary's

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Senior Kierra Palmer (Aberdeen, Md.) led the Bryant University women's basketball team with 17 points in her home state to help the Bulldogs to a come-from-behind victory over Mount St. Mary's, 73-68, on Saturday afternoon.

Bryant posted five double-digit scorers including a career-best from Brooke Bjelko (Plattsburgh, N.Y) with 15 points. Sydney Holloway (Morgantown, W. Va.), Masey Zegarowski (Hilton, Mass.), Haley Connors (West Hartford, Conn.), Palmer and Bjelko all contributed double-digit performances in the victory.  

GAME INFORMATION
Bryant 73, Mount St. Mary's 68
Records: Bryant 4-10 (2-1), Mount St. Mary's 6-8 (0-2)
Location: Knott Arena (Emmitsburg, Md.)

COACH BURKE COMMENTS
"It was a tough, gritty performance and I'm super proud in how the team fought back. I really felt that us going into a 2-2-1 press back into a man defense really helped in slowing them down. Offensively, we executed well in the half-court sets and got some great looks and offensive rebounds which was a very big key in getting the job done."

KEY MOMENT

• The Mount started the game strong with a quick 7-2 run to give them the initial lead.
• Mount St. Mary's grew its lead in the third quarter scoring 23 points with nine coming from behind the arc.
• Late in the fourth quarter, Bryant tallied four back-to-back steals to help the Bulldogs to a 17-2 run that led to a three-point advantage with 11-seconds to go in the game.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Mount St. Mary's came out of the gate going on a 7-2 run as Daly Sullivan scored the first three-pointer of the game.
• Palmer hit her first three of the game to tie the game at seven a piece with 5:44 to play in the first quarter, but the Mount responded by going on another seven-point run to help them end the quarter 19-15.
• The second quarter brought a storm of turnovers for the Bulldogs as they threw the ball away 11 times resulting in Mount St. Mary's scoring 10 points from turnovers alone.
• Palmer hit two back-to-back three's for the Black and Gold to help the Bulldogs to a 10-5 run to close out the half 32-29.
• Holloway hit her first basket of the game to start the half before Mount St. Mary's took off on a 9-4 run.
• The Mount scored 23 points in the third quarter shooting 9-of-18 from the field and 3-of-5 from the three-point line.
• Going into the fourth quarter down by 11 points, the Mount's Jatarrikah Settle knocked down a three to grow Mount St. Mary's to its biggest lead of 14-points, 62-48.
• Bryant started to close in on the Mount as Zegarowski kick-started an 11-0 run before Holloway tied the game at 64-64 with 2:49 remaining in the game.
• The Bulldogs grew their run to an impressive 17-2 highlighted by four steals led by Naomi Ashley (Hamilton, Ont.) with three. Mount St. Mary's did not score again until the 11-second mark to get within two, but Holloway and Zegarowski finished the game shooting 3-of-4 at the free throw line to end the game, 73-68.

STATS

• Palmer led the Black and Gold with 17 points shooting 5-of-6 from three.
• Both Bjelko and Holloway tallied double-doubles as Bjelko scored 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds and Holloway chipped in 10 points, 14 rebounds.
• Holloway scored all 10 of her points in the second half.
• Ashley led with a game-high of four steals contributing four points, three assists, and a rebound.
• Zegarowski added 11 points, four assists and two steals.
• Connors shots 2-of-5 for three tallying a total of 11 points.
• Bryant out-rebounded the Mount, 46-32.

GAME NOTES

• Bejlko's double-double is her first of the season, third of her career, with a career-high 15 points.
• The Bulldogs improve to 11-9 all-time against Mount St. Mary's.
• Bryant's 29 points in the fourth quarter marks the most points scored in a quarter for the Bulldogs this season.
• Palmer's five three-pointers were a career-high. The last time a Bulldog scored five three-pointers in a single game was Connors against Sacred Heart in the NEC semi-finals in 2017.
• The last time Bryant posted five double-digit scorers was at New Hampshire in November of 2017.
• Head coach Mary Burke moves to just six wins away from the 400 milestone.  

UP NEXT: SACRED HEART
As Bryant treks its way back up north, the Bulldogs make a pit stop at Sacred Heart on Monday, January 14 for a 7 p.m. clash.