BRYANT WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

January 27, 2007

Women's Hoops Wins Third Straight; 75-48 over UMass Lowell

SMITHFIELD, R.I. - The Bryant Women's Basketball team stayed hot behind senior guard Joanna Skiba (Providence, RI), as they defeated the Riverhawks of UMass Lowell 75-48 Saturday afternoon at the Chace Center in a Northeast-10 conference game.

After being named the Northeast-10 Player of the Week, Skiba stayed hot, scoring 26 points in 23 minutes on 9-of-14 shooting. Coming off the bench for the straight game, she nailed five three-pointers on eight shots.

The Bulldogs led throughout, forcing 18 first-half turnovers and limiting UML to only six first-half field goals, on 19 shots.

Bryant took a 38-16 halftime lead behind ten points from Skiba and 11 from last week's NE-10 Co-Freshman of the Week Kelsey O'Keefe (Warren, Mass.) O'Keefe finished with 12 points and three boards.

Mary Burke's squad played a real team game, as Skiba and O'Keefe were the only two in double-figures. Lynne-Ann Kokoski (Hatfield, Mass.) and Lauren Rubenoff (New Hartford, CT) added nine points each.

With the victory, the Bulldogs have won three straight and are now 13-7 overall and 9-6 in the conference. With seven conference games remaining, they are in the thick of the standings, currently in eighth place, but only one game out of sixth.

Skiba is averaging 25 points-per-game since Courtney Schermerhorn (Lowell, Mass.) replaced her in the starting lineup.

Bryant (13-7, 9-6 NE-10) will go for its fourth straight win at Saint Anselm Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. The Bulldogs defeated them earlier this season 63-48 at the Chace Center.