SMITHFIELD, R.I. – It took two overtimes to decide a victor but the Bryant University women's basketball team fell just short to Fairfield, 90-86, Wednesday night in the first round of the Women's Basketball Invitational.

After essentially 40 minutes dominated by the Bulldogs, Fairfield's Alexys Vazquez hit a corner 3-pointer as time expired in regulation to push the game into overtime, 79-79. In the first overtime period, Brittany Obi-Tabot finished a clutch 3-point play with 31 seconds left to extend the contest once more where eventually the Stags held the advantage the entire second overtime en route to the 90-86 win.

Sophomore Breanna Rucker (Cincinnati, Ohio) put up arguably her best game in a Bulldog uniform, finishing with a career-high 23 points go along with 11 rebounds and three assists in 47 minutes of play. Senior Naana Ankoma-Mensa (Brampton, Ont.) closes her career with her 44th career double double, chipping in 10 points, 13 rebounds, four assists and four steals. Ankoma-Mensa ends her storied Bryant career as the Division I program leader in points (1,282) and rebounds (1,137).

Senior point guard Jenniqua Bailey (Bloomfield, Conn.) poured in another complete game, finishing with 21 points, five assists, four steals and two blocks while sophomore Tiersa Winder (Baltimore, Md.) put up 14 points off the bench. Seniors Courtney Schissler (Branford, Conn.) and Stephanie Cardamone (Freehold, N.J.) added 11 and seven points, respectively, in their final game donning the Black and Gold.

Katie Cizynski led all scorers, finishing with 24 points and 13 rebounds in 50 minutes for the Stags, while Obi-Tabot put up 20 and 14 despite fouling out in the second overtime. Kristin Schatzlein added 19 points on 5-of-8 shooting from deep and Vazquez put up 17 with five 3's of her own.

In arguably the best game of the 2013-14 season, the Bulldogs were in control from the opening tip holding a 34-26 lead at halftime. In the second half, Bryant continued to set the pace taking every Fairfield push and maintain a slim, but steady margin through the final minutes of the second half.

Schissler knocked down a clutch trifecta with 3:24 left to put the Black and Gold up, 63-56. Over the next ninety seconds, Fairfield went on a 5-0 run to cut the lead to just three beind a Felicia DaCruz jumper and a Schatzlein 3-pointer with 1:44 left.

The two teams traded buckets back and forth with the Stags cutting the deficit to just one point, 67-66, with five seconds left, forcing the visitors to foul. Schissler did her part by knocking down a pair of free throws to give Bryant the 69-66 lead with just over two seconds left on the clock.

Fairfield attempted a full court heave in desperation, but it was intercepted by Ankoma-Mensa just over halfcourt. Fortunalty for the Stags, she stepped out of bounds, giving Fairfield one last chance with 1.8 seconds left with Vazquez capitalizing on with the biggest shot of the game to send the contest into overtime.

In both overtime periods, the play was back-and-forth again, with Fairfield taking its first lead of the game just over a minute into the first extra period. In the second overtime, Fairfield took the lead and never looked back to secure the 90-86 victory.

The Bulldogs wrap up a historic 2013-14 season in which they set records with Division I wins in a season (17), NEC wins in a season (11), highest finish in NEC standings, the first DI postseason win in Bryant basketball history, and the first appearance in a national postseason tournament in program history.