February 27, 2010

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL DROPS SEASON FINALE, 84-76, TO LONG ISLAND ON SENIOR DAY

Boxscore

SMITHFIELD, RI - Despite having four players score in double figures, the Bryant University women's basketball team could not defeat Long Island in the 20009-10 season finale, as the Blackbirds went on to win 84-76 on senior day at the Chace Athletic Center.

The Bulldogs (13-16, 10-8 NEC) were led by junior Siamone Bennett (Newburgh, N.Y.) and senior Kelsey O'Keefe (Warren, Mass.). Bennett registered her second double-double in three games as she scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Bennett was 7-12 from the field and 4-4 from the free throw line.  O'Keefe, in her final game with the Bulldogs, added 17 points.

Sophomore Lekia Cowen (Hopedale, Mass.) and freshman Danielle Douglas (Silver Springs, Md.) each recorded 10 points in the season finale. Douglas scored eight of her 10 points from the free throw line.

Long Island (20-9, 14-4 NEC) was led by Kiara Evans' game-high 21 points. Evans was 11-15 from the free throw line. Connie James and Ashley Palmer each tallied 15 points for the Blackbirds. James also scored 11 from the foul line going 11-13 from the stripe.

Bryant was outshot 44.7 percent to 39.4 percent from the field including 60 to 30 percent from 3-point range.

With all five eligible seniors starting for the Bulldogs, Long Island jumped out to a 13-4 lead just four minutes into the game. The Blackbirds continued the good shooting and fast pace as they built up a 13-point, 24-11 margin, over the Bulldogs with 11:51 to play.

Following a media timeout, Cowen hit her first 3-point bucket of the afternoon to bring her squad back to within 11 points.

LIU continued to press Bryant as they built up a 40-24 lead and held Bryant without a field goal for six and a half minutes during the run.

O'Keefe and the Bulldogs responded with a quick run of their own, kicked off by an O'Keefe 3-pointer. Over the final three minutes the Black and Gold were able to close the gap and bring the game to a 12-point margin, 46-34, after the first 20 minutes of play.

O'Keefe led all scorers in the first half with 12 points. Long Island's Evans and James each recorded nine first-half points.

The Bulldogs were outshot 44 percent to 32.1 percent in the first period.

The two squads traded buckets over the first five minutes of the second half as LIU held a 13-point lead with 14:52 left in regulation. Bennett, wearing No. 33 to honor injured senior Adrianne Mayshar (West Boylston, Mass.), opened the half with four quick points in the first five minutes of action.

With a Meredith Soper (Winthrop, Mass.) jumper from just inside the arc, the Bulldogs pulled back to within single digits, down 58-49. Cowen followed up on the next possession by nailing her second 3-pointer from the left wing to bring the game to its closest margin of the half, 58-52, with 11 minutes remaining in the game.

The Blackbirds were able to rebuild their lead to 12 points but with two consecutive Bennett field goals Bryant was able to pull back within nine points, 72-63, as the clocked ticked just under the four minute mark.

LIU's Evans followed up by hitting a long-range 3-pointer, her second of the game, to extend its lead back to 12 points.

With the Bulldogs applying the full-court pressure over the last three minutes, they were able to pull within five points, 77-72, following a Kristin Mraz (Johnstown, N.Y.) 3-pointer. That was the closest Bryant would be able to get in the game as the Blackbirds shot well from the free throw line as they went on to defeat the Bulldogs, 84-76.  

Depending on what happens around the Northeast Conference today the Bulldogs could finish as high as fourth or as low as sixth place in the league but are unable to compete in the conference tournament due to the NCAA transition rules.

Mraz, O'Keefe, Mayshar, Courtney Schermerhorn (Lowell, Mass.), Jaime Campbell (Springfield, Mass.) and Kristen Dessingue (Clifton Park, N.Y.) were all honored prior to the game for their four years of dedication and commitment to the Bryant women's basketball program.