Posted: Jan 16, 2020

LIU visits Smithfield Saturday for doubleheader

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University women's basketball team hosts Long Island on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 1 p.m. as the Bulldogs look to grab its second NEC win of the season.

THE MATCHUP
Bryant took both meetings last year including a 69-54 victory to give head coach Mary Burke her 400th career-win. The Black and Gold are 9-1 all-time against the Sharks in Smithfield.

SCOUTING THE SHARKS
The Sharks are on a two-game winning streak topping both Fairleigh Dickinson and Central Connecticut. LIU's lone non-conference win came against Hofstra in late November, 85-46. Long Island posts an overall record of 3-12 and 2-2 against the NEC.

Bryant trails LIU in total rebounds and rebounds per game as the Sharks lead the conference in both categories. Long Island is also second in the country averaging 18.3 offensive boards a game. Sophomore Brandy Thomas leads the Sharks in both scoring and rebounding as she averages 13.5 points per game and 8.3 rebounds per game. Thomas was the NEC Rookie of the Year last season and continues to dominate as she ranks fifth in the conference with a 40.6 field goal percentage.

LAST TIME OUT: MOUNT ST. MARY'S
The Bulldogs fell, 76-70, to Mount St. Mary's on Saturday afternoon after erasing a 15-point halftime deficit to get within two in the fourth quarter. Three Bulldogs posted 12 points including Brooke Bjelko (Plattsburgh, N.Y.), Taty LaFrance Boyce (Norwich, Conn.), and Nicole Gallagher (Foxboro, Mass.). Trinity Bravo (Bridgeport, Conn.) trailed with 10 points but stuffed the stat sheet with six assists, six rebounds, and four steals. As a team, the Black and Gold posted season-highs in assists (16), steals (13), and the best performance of the season from the foul line shooting 24-for-30.

BEGINNERS LUCK
Gallagher posted four consecutive double-figure scoring performances in her NEC debut. Gallagher is second on the team behind Bravo averaging 11.8 points a night against conference foes. The rookie also leads the team in three-pointers during the NEC schedule shooting 9-for-28.

BRAVO!
Bravo has stuffed the stat sheet since the beginning of conference play. Bravo posted double-figure scoring in three of the first four NEC games including a career-high 16 points at Merrimack. Most recently, Bravo posted 10 points, six assists, and four rebounds against Mount St. Mary's. The forward leads the Bulldogs against NEC opponents with 12.0 points per game and 11 steals.

SECOND HALF DAWGS
The Bulldogs outscored both Brown and Albany in the second half to come back from a halftime deficit during the first two wins this season. Bryant trailed Brown by two after the first half in the season opener before outscoring the Bears 21-18 to grab its first win of the season. Then against Albany, the Bulldogs came back from a seven-point halftime deficit, outscoring the Great Danes 46-26 in the second half for a 68-55 victory. Most recently against Mount St. Mary's, Bryant erased a 15-point halftime deficit by outscoring the Mount 40-31 in the second half to make a comeback before dropping a 76-70 decision.

THREE'S A COMPANY
The Bulldogs posted at least three double-digit scorers in ten games so far this season. The Bulldogs are 3-4 when posting three double-digit scorers and 0-3 when posting four double-digit scorers in a single game. Bryant recently posted four double-digit scorers in back-to-back conference matchups against both Merrimack and Mount St. Mary's.

BOARDING SCHOOL
The Bulldogs are now first in the NEC in rebound margin with 1.5 and are second in offensive rebounds per game with 13.8. Recently, Bryant outrebounded Mount St. Mary's 35-30. Sydney Holloway (Morgantown, W.Va.) leads the conference and is sixth in the country averaging 4.8 offensive rebounds a game.