Women's Basketball Begins NEC Play at Bryant Saturday

The Central Connecticut women's basketball team (3-8) will open the 2015-16 NEC slate in Smithfield, RI as they take on the Bryant Bulldogs (3-8) inside the Chace Athletic Center at 1 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. The Blue Devils and Bulldogs finished tied on top of the NEC regular season standings a season ago and were picked third and second respectively in this season's Preseason Coaches' Poll. Tickets for today's game can be purchased here or at the Bryant Ticket Office upon entry. All of the action can also be seen live, for free, on NECFrontRow.com.

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Today • The Central Connecticut women's basketball team (3-8) opens Northeast Conference play as they travel to Smithfield, RI to take on the Bryant Bulldogs (3-8). Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. inside the Chace Athletic Center in the first game of a NEC double-header as the CCSU men's team will also face Bryant immediately after the women's game. The Blue Devils are currently 0-7 on the road this season and the Bulldogs sport a 2-3 mark at home.

Previously For Both Teams • The Blue Devils are coming off a 59-55 victory over Dartmouth last Tuesday night at home. Sophomore Camden Musgrave finished with a team-high 14 points to pace the Blue Devils, who shot 44.0% (22-50) in the game. She was joined in double-figures by seniors TeJahne Malone (12) and Kayla Miller (11). Bryant lost 74-59 at Boston College in its last contest after being outscored 20-7 in the fourth quarter by BC. Tiersa Winder led the Bulldogs with 12 points.

Series History (7-7) • Today's game marks the 15th meeting all-time between the Blue Devils and Bulldogs at the Division I level. The two teams split a pair of games last season with each team winning on their respective home courts. Central beat Bryant 70-59 on Jan. 17 inside Detrick Gym and then the Bulldogs snuck out a 55-53 win on Mar. 2 in the final regular season game of the year to tie with CCSU for the NEC regular season title. Beryl Piper has been the head coach of the Blue Devils for all 14 prior meetings with a 7-7 record, but has lost the last two straight played in Smithfield.

Scouting Bryant • The Bulldogs are 3-8 on the year and 2-3 at home. They average 63.6 ppg as a team and are led by Ivory Bailey and Tiersa Winder who both average 13.0 ppg. Bailey does a little bit of everything offensively while Winder prefers to shoot the three as she is 21-of-66 (31.8%) from distance on the season. CCSU will also have to try and control Breanna Rucker who joins the duo in double-figures averaging 12.2 ppg. She also dominates the glass for Bryant pulling down 11.2 rpg, tops in the Northeast Conference.

Up Next For CCSU • The Blue Devils will return to action next with their first NEC home game of the 2015-16 campaign. They will host LIU Brooklyn on Monday afternoon inside Detrick Gym with tip-off slated for 2 p.m. The game was moved up from the originally scheduled 7 p.m. start for the CCSU men's game which will be aired on MSG.