December 8, 2007

WOMEN TOP SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE ON ROAD, 61-46, SATURDAY AFTERNOON

Boxscore

MANCHESTER, NH - Backed by a game-high 19 points from sophomore forward Kelsey O'Keefe (Warren, Mass.), the Bryant University women's basketball team dominated the second-half of Saturday's matchup against conference rival Southern New Hampshire to win its third-straight contest, 61-46, on the road at the SNHU Fieldhouse.

The Bulldogs (5-2, 4-2 Northeast-10) went up early, leading 17-8 at the eight-minute mark before the Penmen began to steadily climb back into the game. Backed by 5-for-7 shooting from Megan Shay, including a trio of baskets from three-point land, Southern New Hampshire (3-4, 3-3) entered the break leading Bryant, 33-31.

The first half was riddled with turnovers from both sides, with Bryant giving the ball up 12 times to SNHU's 14, while the Bulldogs outrebounded the Penmen, 19-17. But Southern New Hampshire's 51.9 percent clip from the floor topped Bryant's 37.9 percent mark in the first frame, giving them the two-point edge to start the second half.

O'Keefe led Bryant with nine points in the first frame, while Courtney Schermerhorn (Lowell, Mass.) chipped in seven points and five boards. Shay led all first-frame scoring with 13 points in 12 minutes of play.

But the Bulldogs came out in the second half with something to prove, going on a 16-4 run to open up the second half - and the score - through the first seven-and-a-half minutes. O'Keefe notched eight of those points while junior Cara Johnson (Endicott, NY) pitched in four to go up 47-37 with 12:39 to play.

Both teams went scoreless for the next 3:41 before SNHU's Sara Tucker broke the streak at the 11-minute mark.

But the Bulldogs would dominate the second half, holding the Penmen to just 13 second-frame points and 31.3 percent shooting to get the 61-46 win.

Julia Houghtaling led the Penmen with 14 points while Shay was kept scoreless in the second half. Schermerhorn and O'Keefe each grabbed a game-high six boards for the Bulldogs, who shot 43.8 percent from the floor in the second half for a 41.0-percent clip on the game. Bryant outrebounded SNHU, 40-32, for the day.

Bryant will next host undefeated Stonehill College at the Chace Athletic Center on Wednesday, Dec. 12 at 5:30 p.m. The Skyhawks were 5-0 and in sole possession of first place in the Northeast-10 Conference entering Saturday's games.