BRYANT WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
February 25, 2007
Boxscore
Women's Hoops Defeats
Saint Michaels 58-53 in Overtime
Bulldogs Advance to Play Saint Rose in
NE-10 Quarterfinals Tuesday
SMITHFIELD, R.I.
- The Bryant women's basketball team used solid defense and grabbed
key offensive rebounds to narrowly edge Saint Michaels in overtime
58-53 in the first round of the Northeast-10 Tournament Sunday
afternoon at the Chace Center.
With the victory, Bryant, ranked seventh in the conference
tournament, will head to second-ranked Saint Rose Tuesday for a
quarterfinal matchup at 7 p.m.
The Bulldogs finished overtime on a 11-3 run, led by the
offensive rebounding of Lauren Rubenoff (New Hartford,
CT) and Kelsey O'Keefe (Warren, Mass.)
and outstanding defense from Courtney Schermerhorn
(Lowell, Mass.).
Leading 51-50 with 1:43 to play, Schermerhorn came up with her
sixth steal of the game, a career high, and, after being fouled,
converted one of two free throws. O'Keefe grabbed the offensive
board off the second free-throw and buried the lay-in to give her
team a 54-50 lead with 1:11 to go.
After Schermerhorn was fouled and went to the line with :35 to
play, she converted the first but missed the second, but again
O'Keefe was there to get the rebound, and got it to Erin
Murphy (Albany, Mass.) who was fouled and nailed both
shots to put the game away.
Bryant went into the locker room at the half leading 24-23
behind six from O'Keefe and seven from Schermerhorn. The first half
was marred by turnovers as the Bulldogs committed 13 turnovers and
shot just 9-of-26 from the field.
They came out flying in the second half behind the post presence
of Rubenoff, who scored eight straight points, giving Bryant a
34-27 lead with 15:15 to go.
The Bulldogs clung to a narrow lead as time ticked down, but the
Purple Knights finally tied it when Michelle Otey beat Murphy down
low with 12.5 seconds to play. Bryant had the last shot, but
Joanna Skiba's (Providence, RI) shot was way off
the mark, sending the teams to overtime tied at 47.
Skiba did not make a field goal for the first time since her
freshman season and finished with three points, all on clutch free
throws in overtime.
Rubenoff and O'Keefe tallied 14 each, with O'Keefe posting
another double-double (11 rebounds). Murphy had six points and
grabbed eight rebounds, while Schermerhorn (nine points, eight
boards, six steals, 37 minutes) finished with career-highs in
rebounds, steals, and minutes played.
The Bulldogs (19-9, 14-8 NE-10) will head to Saint Rose Tuesday
(7 p.m.) in a game they must win to solidify their NCAA tournament
hopes. Earlier this season, the Bulldogs upset the Golden Knights
83-76 at the Chace Center.
###
