Saturday, November 29, 2008
BULLDOGS FALL TO CORNELL, 66-55, IN
DAY TWO OF THE RHODY CLASSIC SATURDAY AFTERNOON
Boxscore
KINGSTON, R.I. - Led by 11 points from co-captains
Kelsey O'Keefe (Warren, Mass.) and Cara
Johnson (Endicott, N.Y), the Bryant University women's
basketball team fell to Cornell University, 66-55, in the second
day of the Rhody Classic Saturday afternoon at URI's Ryan Center.
After Friday's loss at the hands of tournament host University
of Rhode Island, the Bulldog starting lineup got a facelift for
Saturday's contest against the Big Red. Three Bulldogs - sophomore
Amanda Pierlioni (Plainville, Conn.) and freshmen
Lekia Cowen (Hopedale, Mass.) and Shannon
Wood (Gorham, Maine) - earned their first career start,
while junior Jaime Campbell (Springfield, Mass.)
got her second career start and first of the 2008-09 season to join
O'Keefe on the court for the opening tip.
The teams kept it close in the first with Bryant (2-4) leading
most of the way until Cornell (3-3) took its first edge of the
contest with 5:16 to play in the frame on two made free throws by
Susie Doyle.
The free throws would kickstart a 9-2 scoring run that opened up
a six-point Big Red advantage that would take Cornell into halftime
up, 29-23.
Bryant outrebounded Cornell in the first frame, 21-19, but
committed 12 turnovers to the Big Red's nine. O'Keefe's five points
paced Bryant's 31 percent shooting at the half, with Campbell
leading the way on the boards with four.
Cornell extended its lead to 12 points, 42-30, before the
Bulldogs cut it to 43-34 in the second frame. The lead would stay
at nine points as Bryant went 5:31 between baskets and Cornell took
a 46-37 lead with 8:28 to play in the game.
A layup from sophomore Siamone Bennett (Newburgh,
N.Y.) with 3:49 showing cut the Bulldogs' deficit to
55-48, and junior Courtney Schermerhorn (Lowell,
Mass.) completed the three-point play to cut Cornell's
lead to four, 55-51.
But down by seven with two minutes left to play, Bryant had no
choice but to foul, sending Lauren Benson to the line for the final
eight points of the contest as the Bulldogs fell, 66-55.
O'Keefe and Johnson each scored a team-high 11 points, while
O'Keefe also collected a team-best seven boards. Cornell was paced
by Benson's 19 points and Doyle's 12 rebounds.
Bryant was outrebounded on the day, 39-35, while Cornell won a
39.9 to 33.9 shooting percentage advantage from the floor.
The Bulldogs next take the court on Monday, Dec. 1 when they
host Northeast Conference opponent St. Francis (NY) in the 2008-09
home opener at the Chace Athletic Center. Tipoff is 7:00 p.m.
