Tuesday, November 25, 2008

BULLDOGS SQUEAK OUT 64-61 WIN OVER CCSU, EARN PROGRAM'S SECOND DIVISION I WIN

Boxscore

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. - Two made free throws from junior Courtney Schermerhorn (Lowell, Mass.) with 7.1 seconds left on the clock vaulted the Bryant University women's basketball team to a 64-61 win over Northeast Conference opponent Central Connecticut State University Tuesday night at Detrick Gymnasium, marking the program's second Division I win in its inaugural season at the NCAA's highest level.

But the Bulldogs squandered an 18-point lead in the second half to allow the Blue Devils (1-3) to climb back into the game, as the home team narrowed the Bulldogs' (2-2) lead to a single point in the waning minutes of the contest.

Bryant came out after the intermission with a 34-27 lead to score six-straight points and open up a 40-27 advantage, forcing Central Connecticut to burn their second timeout of the contest.

Those six points turned into the start of a 13-2 Bulldog run stretching 4:57, starting from the 20-minute mark of the second frame.

But CCSU cut that lead to eight by mid-frame, 50-42, and would knock it down to a six-point edge with 5:00 to go. The Bryant lead would then diminish to two with 3:45 showing on the clock.

A three from Leanne Crockett from the right side of the basket at the 2:08 mark brought the Blue Devils to within one of the Bulldogs, 60-59. It would stay a one-point game with 7.1 seconds remaining, when a foul off the ball at the top of the key sent Schermerhorn to the line in the double bonus.

Schermerhorn, a .500 percent shooter from the stripe entering the day, made them both, vaulting Bryant to their second Division I win, 64-61.

But it wasn't without a last-dish effort on the part of the Blue Devils. With just fractions of a second remaining on the clock, CCSU's Shontice Simmons put up 3-pointer just to see it bounce around the rim and out at the buzzer.

Bryant led the entire way, opening up the game with seven points from junior Kelsey O'Keefe (Warren, Mass.) before the rest of the Bulldogs joined in on the scoring. Back-to-back-to-back buckets from sophomore Kelli Reynolds (Milford, Conn.), junior Jaime Campbell (Springfield, Mass.) and sophomore Amanda Pierlioni (Plainville, Conn.) gave the visitors a 13-12 lead, the last one-point difference until CCSU's near comeback in the final minutes of the contest.

Eight points over 1:41 in the middle of the frame - six of them coming from Pierlioni - gave Bryant a 19-15 advantage and the Bulldogs would hold onto that lead through the end of the half.

Bryant hit 51.7 percent (15-of-29) from the floor in the first half, while holding Central Connecticut to 32.3 percent (10-for-31), allowing Bulldogs off the bench to do much of the late-half scoring that sent the Bulldogs into the locker room with their first halftime lead of the season, 34-27.

O'Keefe's nine points led Bryant at the half, followed by Pierlioni's six.

Bryant saw significant minutes from its bench players, including strong play in 15 minutes of floor time from freshman point guard Shannon Wood (Gorham, Maine). The frosh registered two assists, three steals and a point.

The game also saw rookie Brittany Stahura (Amsterdam, N.Y.) and junior Adrianne Mayshar (West Boylston, Mass.) get their first minutes of the season.

On the day, Bryant made a shade under half its shots for a 49 shooting percentage on the day. CCSU recorded a 33.9 shooting percentage, shooting 36 percent in the second frame. The Bulldogs were outrebounded by the Blue Devils, 36-33, on the game after taking a 21-16 advantage on the glass in the first half. O'Keefe led the game with 15 total points while sophomore Siamone Bennett (Newburgh, N.Y.) recorded 11 points and a pair of blocks. Senior co-captain Cara Johnson (Endicott, N.Y.) led the Bulldogs on the glass with eight boards.

CCSU was paced by 14 points from P.J. Wade and a double-double from Crockett (11 points, 12 rebounds).

The Bulldogs take a two-day break from the hardwood, but return to the court for the Rhody Classic on Friday, Nov. 28 and Saturday, Nov, 29. Bryant will face off against tournament host URI at 2 p.m. on Friday, following it up with a noon matchup against Cornell on Saturday.