January 9, 2010
Box
Score
BULLDOGS SNAP LOSING STREAK, DEFEAT
MONMOUTH 72-62 TO EVEN CONFERENCE RECORD
O'KEEFE TIES
CAREER-HIGH WITH 33 POINTS
WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - Led by senior captain Kelsey O'Keefe's
33 points the Bryant women's basketball team was able to snap its
six game losing streak with a well-earned 72-62 victory at
Northeast Conference foe Monmouth University on Saturday afternoon.
With the win, the Bulldogs even their record to 2-2 in the NEC
and improve to 4-10 on the 
season. Bryant shot a season-best 52 percent from the field and
had a season-high 22 assists.
O'Keefe's 33 point-performance ties her career high which she
previously set against Adelphi in her sophomore campaign. The
forward was 13-18 from the field and 4-5 from the free throw
stripe. O'Keefe also hit 3-6 three-point shots.
Junior Siamone Bennett (Newburgh, N.Y.),
sophomore Lekia Cowen (Hopedale, Mass.) and
freshman Meredith Soper (Winthrop, Mass) also
contributed double digit scoring. Soper recorded 11 points and
seven rebounds while Bennett and Cowen each added 10 points.
Bennett also added three rebounds.
Monmouth (6-9, 1-3) had three players in double figures
including a double-double from forward Abby Martin. Martin scored
16 points and pulled down 11 boards. Hawk guards Alysha Womack and
Alexis Canady scored 15 and 12 points, respectively. MU shot 39.3
percent from the field including 43.8 percent from long-range.
In a first half that consisted of nine lead changes and eight
ties, the Bulldogs found themselves down 39-37 after twenty minutes
of play. With five seconds remaining in the first half Monmouth's
Canady pump-faked a Bryant defender and hit the go-ahead shot from
the elbow to give the Hawks the two point lead at the half. O'Keefe
played an outstanding first half going 8-10 from the field and 4-4
from the free throw line for a total of 21 first-half points.
The Hawks were led by Canady and Martin in the half who tallied
12 points each for MU. Canady was 3-3 from three-point range while
Martin was 5-6 from the field.
Each team shot the ball well as Bryant outshot Monmouth 51.9 to
48.3 percent. The Hawks were 4-6 from beyond the arc while the
Bulldogs went 3-7 from three-point range. Cowen hit two of the
three Bulldog shots from deep.
The second half of play started slower for both squads as the
score went back and forth over the first 13 minutes until senior
Kristin Mraz (Johnstown, N.Y.) drove past the Hawk
defense for a left-handed layup to give Bryant the one point lead
with just under seven minutes remaining. With great defensive play
and good free throw shooting, the Bulldogs were able to ensure
their fourth victory of the season. Over the last 5:43 of the game
Bryant forced six Monmouth turnovers to seal the conference win.
Bryant will return home for a meeting with NEC pre-season
favorite Sacred Heart on Thursday, Jan. 14 in the Chace Athletic
Center at 5 p.m.
