Bryant University Bulldogs Women's Hoops Concludes Pre-Holiday Schedule against Bridgeport Sunday

BRYANT WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

December 17, 2006

Today's Game
The Bryant University Bulldogs take on the Bridgeport Purple Knights today in a non-conference matchup. These teams last met in the 1999-2000 season with Bridgeport edging the Bulldogs 74-43. Entering this weekend, the Purple Knights are 1-4 (1-3 ECC)

Game Notes
The Bulldogs are coming off a 66-56 loss to 18th-ranked Stonehill. Bryant led 37-27 at the half but they were unable to hold the lead.

Senior Lauren Rubenoff (New Hartford, Conn.) scored 20 points, including 14 of Bryant's 19 second-half points. She added five rebounds and shot 10-for-18 from the field. Rubenoff was the only Bulldog in double figures.

Senior captain Joanna Skiba (Providence, R.I.) struggled from the field, shooting 1-for-13, while finishing with six points and eight assists. Skiba leads the NE-10 averaging 7.1 assists per game.

Sophomore Cara Johnson (Endicott, N.Y.) added six points and two rebounds on 3-of-3 shooting in 16 minutes off the bench. She scored all of her points in the first half, while falling one short of her career high.

Freshman Kelsey O'Keefe (Warren, Mass.) continues to lead the team in rebounding with 6.1 per game. O'Keefe pulled down a team-high six rebounds, all defensive, in the game.

The Bulldogs committed 13 second-half turnovers and 20 overall and were outrebounded 47-33 in the game.

The Purple Knights of Bridgeport
Bridgeport is coming off its first victory of the season, a 79-71 victorey over Malloy. Monique Ross and Jennifer Rucker each scored 15 points, while Angelina Jimenez added 13 boards. Rucker leads the Purple Knights in scoring, averaging 15 points-per-game, while Jimenez averages a double-double, 10.8 points and 10 boards per game. Bridgeport played at St. Thomas Aquinas Saturday afternoon.

RUBENOFF CATCHING FIRE IN SECOND HALF
In Bryant's last two road games, senior forward Lauren Rubenoff (New Hartford, CT) has been dominate in the second half. She scored 22 points, including 14 of Bryant's 19 second-half points, while grabbing five rebounds and shooting 10-for-18 from the field against Stonehill Wednesday. Then, at Bentley on Dec. 5, "Rub" was the only Bulldog in double figures, 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. She currently ranks second on the team in points (14.4) and second in rebounds (5.8).

FAST OUT OF THE GATE
The Bulldogs have been among the best in the Northeast-10 at getting off to fast starts in the first half. Bryant has led by ten at halftime in each of the last two games, including leading by 18 over 18th-ranked Stonehill midway thru the first frame. The Bulldogs have taken a lead into halftime into four straight games and six overall, going 3-3 in those games.

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 1,074 career points.

FANTASTIC FRESHMEN
Head Coach Mary Burke is relying on numerous freshmen this season to have a major impact. Four freshman have already cracked the starting lineup, including Kelsey O'Keefe (Warren, Mass.), Kristin Mraz (Johnstown, N.Y.), Adrianne Mayshar (West Boylston, Mass.) and Courtney Schermerhorn (Lowell, Mass.) O'Keefe, who has started all but one game this season, averages 10.2 points along with a team-best 6.1 rebounds, including 15 in 31 minutes against Southern N.H. on 12/09/06. Mraz has started five games, averaging nearly five points in 17 minutes. Schermerhorn started Bryant's first four games, but has seen her time diminish as of late. Mayshar, Bryant's tallest player at 6-2, posted eight points, seven rebounds and two blocks off the bench in 29 minutes of action at Bentley Tuesday. She made her first start against Southern N.H playing 20 minutes, scoring five points.

COMING UP...
The Bulldogs will head to sunny Miami, FL. to play in the Barry Holiday Classic at Barry University. Bryant will take on the host Barry on Dec. 29 at 6 p.m. and then play Nova Southeastern on Dec. 30 at 4 p.m. The Bulldogs' next home game is Jan. 6 vs. Saint Rose (1:30 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.
           Sat.   - Jan. 6 - Saint Rose, 1:30 p.m.