Saturday, November 14, 2009
BULLDOGS MOUNT COMEBACK BUT FALL
SHORT IN SEASON OPENER, DOWNED 57-47 AT DARTMOUTH SATURDAY
NIGHT
Boxscore
HANOVER, N.H. - After falling behind 12-0 just four minutes into
the 2009-10 season and being down 28-16 at the half, the Bryant
women's basketball team battled back to pull the game within five
points but came up just short, falling 57-47 at Dartmouth College
on Saturday night.
The Big Green (1-0) was led offensively by Cassie Cooper's 14
points and seven rebounds and Brittany Smith's 12-point,
eight-board performance. Brittany's sister, Margaret, added 12
rebounds for Dartmouth. The Big Green is the defending Ivy League
champion and conference victors four of the last five seasons.
After shooting only 16.7 percent and being down 12 points at
the half, the Bulldogs (0-1) battled back to within five with just
over eight minutes remaining. The run was sparked by solid Bulldog
defense and three baskets over a four-minute span from beyond the
arc by sophomore Lekia Cowen (Hopedale, Mass.).
Cowen had a career-high 11 total points, all coming in the
second half. The Bulldogs increased the pressure in the second half
recording five steals and forcing nine turnovers in the second
period.
Similar to the Assumption scrimmage, Bryant shot the ball much
better in the second half. The Bulldogs shot 35.5 percent from
the field and 50 percent from beyond the arc in the second stanza.
To go along with Cowen's 11 points, senior captain Courtney
Schermerhorn (Lowell, Mass.) was tied for the game-high
with 14 points. Shermerhorn shot 4-for-8 from 3-point range.
Despite facing a full-court press for the last five minutes of the
game, the Big Green were able to hold on to their slim lead and
record a victory in their home-opener.
Bryant returns to action on Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. when they
host Holy Cross in the 2009-10 home-opener at the Chace Athletic
Center.
