SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Despite a last-minute push, the Bryant University women's basketball team fell to Robert Morris, 87-84, Saturday afternoon in Moon Township, Pa.

Facing an 85-74 deficit with less than 90 seconds remaining in the contest, the Bulldogs (15-6, 7-2 Northeast Conference) went on a 10-0 run over the course of just 1:10 to cut the Colonial (9-11, 7-2 NEC) lead to single point, however, the Black and Gold fell just short on their final possession dropping just their second game of league play.

Freshman Ivory Bailey (Wyomissing, Pa.) led Bryant with 21 points on a career-best 5-of-9 shooting from 3-point range to go along with six rebounds and two assists, while sophomore center Morgan Olander (Mansfield, Conn.) continued her stellar play as of late with her fourth double-double of the year, finishing with 18 points, 11 boards, and two blocks.

Junior forward Breanna Rucker (Cincinnati, Ohio) tallied her league-leading 16th double dip of the season, putting up 16 points and 12 caroms. Classmate Tiersa Winder (Baltimore, Md.) chipped in 12 points, six boards, and three assists while senior point guard Jenniqua Bailey (Bloomfield, Conn.) rounded out the Bryant double-digit scorers with 12 points and four assists in just 20 minutes of play. Senior guard Melissa Corraro (Shelton, Conn.) added five points in extended minutes off the bench for the Black and Gold to go along with two rebounds and two assists.

Sophomore guard Anna Niki Stamolamprou led all scorers with 28 points on 8-of-14 shooting, while Ashley Ravelli (13), Judith Sole (13), and Megan Smith (10) combined for 36 points. Robert Morris saw 10 players make their way into the scoring column and shot a game-high 48 percent from the field.

The two teams combined for 19 3-pointers in the contest with Bryant shooting 10-for-24 (42 percent) from long range and RMU connecting at a 50 percent clip (9-of-18) from deep.

The Black and Gold, who historically have always struggled at the Seawall Center, were forced to play catch-up the entire contest. After holding a brief 7-4 lead in the opening minutes, the Bulldogs were quickly put on their heels as they struggled to get the lead under 10 through the final minutes of the first half, looking at a 46-34 halftime deficit.

The opening minutes of the second period brought much of the same as the Robert Morris advantage ballooned to as large as 16 points on three occasions through the nine-minute mark. However, the Bulldogs refused to go down quietly, cutting the gap to just six, 69-63, on an Olander trifecta with just 5:56 left on the clock.

Despite the run, the Colonials quickly built their edge back to double digits, which is where it hovered, 85-74, with 1:29 remaining in the contest.

Down 11, the Black and Gold kicked it into overdrive thanks to a layup from Olander and a Rucker And-1 with 45 ticks left. A Corraro steal on the ensuing possession set up an Ivory Bailey long ball, followed by a strong defensive stop and a Corraro lay to cut the once 11-point margin to a single point, 85-84, with 20 seconds left.

After going for a steal, the Black and Gold were forced to foul, sending Ravelli to the line who knocked down a pair to push the RMU lead back to three with seven seconds to go. Inbounding the ball underneath their own basket, Bryant quickly pushed the ball up the floor but was unable to get a shot off, sealing the 87-84 win for the Colonials.

The loss puts the Bulldogs and Colonials in a two-way tie for second place in the NEC standings at 7-2, while the 8-1 Central Connecticut State Blue Devils sit alone in first place halfway through league play.

The Black and Gold will look to recapture a share of first place when they visit the pesky Red Flash of Saint Francis U. in a 7 p.m. tip in Lorreto, Pa., on Monday.