Bryant University Bulldogs Bulldogs Look to Snap Two-Game Losing Streak at Stonehill

BRYANT WOMEN'S BASKETBALL GAME NOTES

December 12, 2006

Today's Game
The Bryant University Bulldogs take on 15th ranked Stonehill this evening in a Northeast-10 Conference game at the Merket Gym in Easton, Mass. This is the first of two meetings this season for these teams. Last season, Bryant lost both meetings to the Skyhawks.

To hear Wednesday's game LIVE, click here for the link on Stonehill's website.

Game Notes
The Bulldogs are coming off a dissapointing loss to Southern New Hampshire 76-70 Saturday afternoon at the Chace Center.

Senior co-captain Joanna Skiba (Providence, R.I.) led the Bulldogs with 23 points, including 17 in the first half and four three-pointers. Skiba leads the Bulldogs averaging 16.1 points per game.

Freshman Kelsey O'Keefe (Warren, Mass.) tallied a career-high 15 rebounds, but was only 5-for-16 from the field, scoring 11 points.

Sophomore point guard Lynne-Ann Kokoski (Hatfield, Mass.) added 13 points and six assists off the bench in 31 minutes.

Bryant struggled again from the free-throw line, shooting only 54%, while the Penmen shot 83%.

Freshman Adrianne Mayshar (West Boylston, Mass.) made her first start of the season against the Penmen, scoring five points and grabbing three rebounds in 20 minutes.

The Skyhawks of Stonehill
Senior Kim Morast's three-pointer with 1.1 seconds remaining capped a furious second half comeback and lifted Stonehill to a 57-55 victory over Bentley. The Skyhawks (8-2, 4-2) trailed by 17 points with 16:22 to play before using a 17-4 run over an 8:16 stretch to close the gap. Alisha Collins led the Skyhawks with 16 points and eight rebounds, while Tiffany Huggins and Kim Morast each added ten points. Collins averages a team-best 14 points-per-game, along with 6.5 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. Skiba ranks 14th on the all-time Bryant scoring list with 1,068 career points..

RUBENOFF RISES TO CHALLENGE AT BENTLEY
Senior forward Lauren Rubenoff (New Hartford, CT) caught fire 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 (13.5) and second in rebounds (5.9).

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 all but one game this season, averages 10.9 points along with a team-best 6.1 rebounds, including 15 in 31 minutes against Southern N.H. on 12/09/06. Mraz and Schermerhorn each average over 15 minutes a game and have both started four games. 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. Mayshar made her first start Saturday against Southern N.H playing 20 minutes, scoring five points.

NEXT UP FOR BRYANT
The Bulldogs return home to host Bridgeport in a non-conference game Sunday (2 p.m.) before the Christmas holiday. Then, Bryant will travel to Miami, Fla to play in the Barry Holiday Tournament December 29-30.

            Sun. Dec. 17 - BRIDGEPORT, 2 p.m.
            Fri. - Dec. 29 - Barry, 6 p.m.*
            Sat. - Dec. 30 - Nova Southeastern, 4 p.m.*
                     *At Barry University (Miami Shores, FLA)
            Wed. - Jan. 3 - at Assumption, 5:30 p.m.