March 2, 2008
BRYANT WOMEN ADVANCE TO NORTHEAST-10 QUARTERFINALS WITH 73-60
WIN OVER SAINT MICHAEL'S SUNDAY AFTERNOON
Boxscore
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Kelsey O'Keefe scored a game-
high 23 points in Bryant's 73-60
win over Saint Michael's in the
NE-10 Tournament first round.
|
SMITHFIELD, RI - The sixth-seeded Bryant University women's
basketball team opened up 2007-08 postseason play with a 73-60 win
over 11th-seeded Saint Michael's College in the first
round of the Northeast-10 Conference Tournament Sunday afternoon at
the Chace Athletic Center.
Both teams started off slow to open the game, with Bryant
(18-10) keeping a slight edge over Saint Michael's (13-15) through
the first nine minutes. The Purple Knights tied the score at 14-14
off a Meghan McCormack layup with 11 minutes to play, but two
successful free throws from Kelsey O'Keefe (Warren,
Mass.) put the Bulldogs back on top, where they would stay
for the remainder of the frame.
But Saint Michael's kept the score close throughout the half,
allowing Bryant at most a six-point advantage with 5:29 showing on
the clock, 25-19. The Purple Knights spent the next five minutes
outscoring the home team, 9-5, to narrow Bryant's lead to just two
for a 30-28 halftime tally.
Both teams shot around a 40 percent clip for the frame, with the
Bulldogs leading, 40 percent to 38.7 percent. Nine points from both
O'Keefe and senior captain Lynne-Ann Kokoski (Hatfield,
Mass.) led Bryant in the first half, while Siamone
Bennett (Newburgh, NY) and Cara Johnson (Endicott,
NY) each grabbing six boards. Bryant outrebounded Saint
Michael's, 23-16.
Bryant came out strong after the break and took the first eight
minutes to build its first double-digit lead of the contest, 50-39,
after Kristin Mraz (Johnstown, NY) hit from
downtown with 12:25 to play.
A three-point play from Alexis Keller with 9:39 to play brought
the Purple Knights back to a single-digit deficit, 52-44, but
quality rebounding and second-chance shots would move the Bulldogs'
lead back up to 65-50 with 3:45 to go.
Bryant would stay tough to finish out the game, outscoring Saint
Michael's, 21-16, in the final nine minutes to take a 73-60 victory
and advance to Tuesday night's Northeast-10 Quarterfinals.
O'Keefe paced the Bulldogs in the win with a game-high 23 points
and seven boards, while Johnson chipped in 22 points and a
game-high eight rebounds. Bryant shot 58 percent from the floor in
the second half for a 48.4 percent game clip.
The Purple Knights were led by Keller's 19 points, while Allison
Dunn added 13 points and a team-high six rebounds. Bryant
outrebounded Saint Michael's, 45-32, on the day.
With Sunday's win, Bryant moves into the quarterfinal round of
the Northeast-10 Conference Tournament and will faceoff against
third-seeded Assumption College, Tuesday, March 4 in Worcester,
Mass. Tipoff is 7 p.m.
