BULLDOGS TRAVEL TO CCSU FOR NEC MATCHUP SATURDAY AT 1 PM

February 5, 2010

BULLDOGS TRAVEL TO CCSU FOR NEC MATCHUP SATURDAY AT 1 PM

SMITHFIELD, R.I. - Winners of seven of its last nine games, the Bryant University women's basketball team travels to New Britain, Conn. to face Central Connecticut State Saturday at 1 p.m. in Detrick Gymnasium. After defeating the Blue Devils just one day ago, the Bulldogs enter Saturday's game with a 10-12 overall record and are tied for third place in the Northeast Conference with a 7-4 record. Bryant's two losses during the nine-game stretch have both come against Sacred Heart, the defending NEC champs. Despite being tied for third place in the league, the Bulldogs are ineligible for the conference tournament until the 2012-13 season due to the DI transition. The Blue Devils are 8-13 overall and 5-6 in the conference coming into Saturay afternoon's matchup. CCSU, who finished second in the NEC last season, is currently tied for seventh place in the conference and hoping to remain in the hunt for the postseason tournament. This will be the fourth matchup between the two programs with CCSU still in search of its first victory.

Not unlike any of the past three seasons, the Bulldogs are led by their 6-foot-1 forward, Kelsey O'Keefe. The senior is averaging a team-high 14.7 points per game and has scored 1,671 points in her career, good enough for third place all-time. However, new and young faces are beginning to shine for Bryant as it continues its march into Division I. Freshman Meredith Soper has started the last 10 games for the Bulldogs and is currently ranked third on the team in rebounding. Classmate Danielle Douglas has now started 11 consecutive games and is playing a crucial role in the Bulldogs recent success. On the offensive end, Douglas averages 3.6 ppg but she makes her presence felt on defense. The rookie averages 1.2 steals per game and currently leads the team with 24.

RIVALRY WEEK IN THE NEC
With bragging rights at stake, the inaugural Northeast Conference (NEC) Rivalry Week is set to take flight with six pairs of men's and women's hoops rivals set to meet in home-and-home contests this Thursday and Saturday. The pairings are as follows: Long Island-St. Francis (NY), Fairleigh Dickinson-Monmouth, Robert Morris-Saint Francis (PA), Quinnipiac-Sacred Heart, CCSU-Bryant and Mount St. Mary's-Wagner.

The unique concept of playing back-to-back games against a local rival in a 48-hour span is the only one of its kind among the nation's 31 NCAA Division I conferences.

"NEC Rivalry Week provides an exciting and unique approach to creating a buzz among our fanbase," said Noreen Morris, NEC Commissioner. "By highlighting a number of long-standing rivalries, it should make for a dynamic weekend of hoops action across the Conference. In many cases, the geographic proximity of our institutions will allow fans the opportunity to attend both ends of the home-and-home series."

SCOUTING THE BLUE DEVILS
The Central Connecticut State women's basketball team has lost five games by a margin of five points or less this season, and is in contention for the Northeast Conference Tournament. Led by preseason all-conference guard Kerrianne Dugan, the Blue Devils are currently tied for seventh place in the NEC. CCSU is currently ranked eighth in the conference in scoring offense averaging 60.7 ppg and fifth in scoring defense allowing 61.6 per contest. Similar to the Bulldogs, the Blue Devils are ranked very high in rebounding offense. CCSU pulls down an average of 40 rebounds per game. While the Devils excel at rebounding, they struggle from beyond the arc, shooting just 28.4 percent from long range. That ranks the squad 11 of 12 in the conference.

Juniors Kerrianne Dugan and Leanne Crockett lead the way for the Blue Devils. Dugan and Crockett are coming off some of the best performances of their careers in the win on Saturday, Jan. 30 against Fairleigh Dickinson. Dugan recorded a double-double with 19 points and 11 assists. She fell just one rebound short of a triple-double. The Connecticut native leads the team averaging 11.2 points per game. Crockett, who averages 10.2 ppg recorded a career-high 26 points on a perfect 9-9 from the field. Crockett was 4-4 from 3-point range and 4-5 from the free throw stripe. The one missed free throw was her only missed shot of the afternoon. Crockett also leads the team in rebounding averaging 8.4 boards per game.

Dugan and Crockett rank 15th and 20th in the conference in scoring, respectively. Crockett is also ranked 2nd in the NEC in rebounding.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
With her 33 and 34-point performances against Monmouth and Quinnipiac, respectively, Kelsey O'Keefe has the two highest single-game point totals in the Northeast Conference this season. She is currently ranked eighth in the NEC, averaging 14.7 ppg.

The Bulldogs are shooting well from long-range this season and are currently in fourth place in the NEC in 3-point shooting percentage, averaging 34.5 percent from beyond the arc. Bryant is third in 3-point shots made with 128 on the season and fifth in the conference in assists, averaging 13.14 per game. Coming into tonight's contest, sophomore Lekia Cowen is ranked fourth in the NEC, shooting 43.1 percent from long range. Senior captain Kristin Mraz is ranked eighth in the NEC with her 83 assists while O'Keefe is ranked second in free throw shooting percentage, averaging 86.7 percent from the line.

CRASHING THE BOARDS
The Bryant Bulldogs have outrebounded their opponents in 16 games so far this season, including nine of the 10 victories. Bryant is currently ranked second in the NEC in rebounding, averaging 40.9 per game. The Bulldogs are third in the NEC in rebounding margin, averaging 3.5 boards better than their opponents. In the NEC, Kelsey O'Keefe and Siamone Bennett are ranked 16th and 18th in rebounds per game, respectively. O'Keefe is averaging 6.3 boards per game while Bennett pulls in an even six. Bennett is also second in the conference in offensive rebounds, pulling down and average of 3.32 offensive rebounds per game while O'Keefe sits in fifth place in defensive boards, pulling down 5.32 a night. Bennett also remains in first place in the conference with 30 blocked shots.

UP NEXT
The Bulldogs will return home to host Saint Francis (PA) on Thursday, February 11 at 5 p.m. in the Chace Athletic Center. The Red Flash leads the series 1-0, with the first meeting resulting in an 80-75 victory for SFPA.