Bryant University Bulldogs Women's Hoops Take on Southern N.H. Saturday at the Chace Center

BRYANT WOMEN'S BASKETBALL VS. SOUTHERN N.H. SATURDAY 1:30 P.M.

Today's Game
The Bryant University Bulldogs take on Southern N.H. this afternoon in a Northeast-10 Conference game at the Chace Center in Smithfield, RI. This is the first of two meetings this season for these teams. Last season, Bryant lost the only meeting 65-51.

Game Notes
The Bulldogs are coming off a hard-fought game in which they lost to Bentley College 62-60 in Waltham, Mass. on Tuesday. Shannon Kirwan hit the game-winning three-pointer with 1.5 seconds to play. Bryant led by as much as nine in the final five minutes but struggled from the free-throw line, making only one of six in the final minute of play.

Senior Lauren Rubenoff (New Hartford, Conn.) scored 18 second-half points and finished with a career high 23.

Freshman Adrianne Mayshar (West Boylston, Mass.) added eight points off the bench in 29 minutes and played very solid defense in the paint, grabbing seven rebounds and blocking two shots.

Senior co-captain Joanna Skiba (Providence, R.I.) tallied ten points, including the first seven of the game and added six assists while playing the entire game.

Bryant forced 25 Bentley turnovers, but couldn't capitalize as the Bulldogs shot only 35% from the field, and just 17% (2 of 12) from behind the arc.

The Penmen of Southern N.H.
After winning their its first game of the season Tuesday 7-58 over Saint Anselm, Southern N.H. lost Thursday to AIC 76-61. Junior Heather Marino paced the Penmen with a career-high 14 points in 21 minutes off the bench. Marino also grabbed seven rebounds. Sophomore Stephanie Houghton added 10 points for the hosts, while classmate Megan Shay totaled nine points and a career-high seven rebounds. Houghton leads the Penmen, averaging 10.6 points-per-game, while Sara Tucker averages a team-high seven rebounds.

SKIBA REACHES 1,000 CAREER POINTS
Bryant senior guard Joanna Skiba (Providence, RI) became the 16th women's basketball player in school history to record her 1,000th point as the Bulldogs picked up a big Northeast-10 Conference win over Assumption College, 80-76 on Wednesday November 30 at the Chace Center. Skiba scored on a drive to the basket just over a minute into the game, scoring and drawing a foul in the process. She entered the game needing just one point to reach the 1,000-point plateau. Fans including several waving signs for the local product gave her a standing ovation as she was presented with a ball to commemorate the achivement during a pause in the action. Skiba would finish with a game-high 22 points in 40 minutes of action against the Greyhounds who were ranked No.6 in a preseason poll. Skiba ranks 14th on the all-time Bryant scoring list.

RUBENOFF RISES TO CHALLENGE AT BENTLEY
Senior forward Lauren Rubenoff (New Hartford, CT) caught fired in the second half against rival Bentley, scoring 18 of her team's 33 second-half points. The senior finished with a career-high 23 points and added six rebounds in a 62-60 loss to the Falcons. Rubenoff controlled the paint in the second half, converting seven of her field goals from within five feet of the hoop. She currently ranks second on the team in points (14.9) and first in rebounds (6.4).

FRESHMAN SENSATIONS
Head Coach Mary Burke is relying on numerous freshmen this season to have a major impact. Three freshman have already cracked the starting lineup, including Kelsey O'Keefe (Warren, Mass.), Kristin Mraz (Johnstown, N.Y.) and Courtney Schermerhorn (Lowell, Mass.) O'Keefe, who has started every game this season, averages 10.9 points and 4.9 rebounds, both good enough for third on the team. Mraz and Schermerhorn each average over 16 minutes a game. Center Adrianne Mayshar (West Boylston, Mass.) posted eight points, seven rebounds and two blocks off the bench in 29 minutes of action at Bentley Tuesday.

NEXT UP FOR BRYANT
The Bulldogs will hit the road Wednesday to tangle with the 15th-ranked Skyhawks from Stonehill College at 5:30 p.m.

            Wed. Dec. 13 - at Stonehill, 5:30 p.m.
            Sun. Dec. 17 - BRIDGEPORT, 3 p.m.
            Fri. - Dec. 29 - Barry, 6 p.m.*
            Sat. - Dec. 30 - Nova Southeastern, 4 p.m.*
                     *Game at Barry University (Miami Shores, FLA)