Women's Hoops Topped By Bryant, 59-48

The visiting Bryant University Bulldogs women's basketball team closed out the first half on a 9-0 run to lead 26-21 after 20 minutes of play, and then the Bulldogs opened the second half on another 9-0 run to extend their lead to 35-21, on their way to a 59-48 non-conference win over the host Central Connecticut State University Blue Devils on Tuesday night in Detrick Gymnasium.  With the loss, Central slips to 0-4 overall on the young season; while Bryant is remains unbeaten at 3-0.   Graduate student Meghan Kenefick led the Blue Devils in scoring on Tuesday with 14 points.  She was joined in double figures by red-shirt freshman Selina Monestime who netted 11 points.  Freshman Jessica Farrell grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds for CCSU, and she also led the squad with four assists.

GAME INFORMATION | BOX SCORE

Score:   Bryant 59, CCSU 48
Records: CCSU (0-4, 0-0 NEC), Bryant (3-0, 0-0 America East)
Location: Detrick Gymnasium |New Britain, Conn.

KEY MOMENTS

• CCSU got off to a good start on a chilly Tuesday night in Central Connecticut, as the hosts led 8-5 at the first media time out of the contest at 4:34 mark of the opening quarter.
• The Blue Devils led by as many as seven points, 12-5, with 3:34 to play in the first quarter, but Bryant went on an 8-2 run to close out the frame to make the score after 10 minutes, 14-13 in favor of Central.
• The two teams traded baskets in the early going of the second quarter with CCSU adding one point to its lead, 19-17, at the second media timeout of the night with 4:52 to go in period two.
• CCSU led 21-17 on a hoop by Selina Monestime with 3:55 to play before halftime, but the Bulldogs closed out the first 20 minutes on a 9-0 run to head into the lockeroom with a 26-21 advantage.  
• Monestime led the Blue Devils with seven points at the half, and Bryant's Mia Mancicni led all scorers in the game at the break with 11 points.
• The Bulldogs would extend their lead to 14 points, 35-21, with a 9-0 run to open the second half that was snapped by a pair of Alonna Sellers' free throws at the 7:35 mark.
• Trailing 40-23 with 5:51 to go in the third quarter, Central closed out the third frame on an 11-3 run to be down by nine points, 43-34, after 30 minutes of action.
• Amaya Williams hit the first basket of the fourth quarter to pull the hosts to within seven points of the lead at 43-26 just nine seconds into the final frame, but that was the closest the Blue Devils would come to the Bulldogs in the final 10 minutes of play.
• In the fourth quarter, Bryant outscored CSSU, 16-14, to make the final score, 59-48.

NUMBER TO KNOW

14–Days until the Blue Devils next home game when they host Siena at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 26.

NOTES

• Meghan Kenefick, Selina Monestime, Alonna Sellers and Amaya Williams have started all four of CCSU's games so far this season.
• Kenefick and Monestime have now scored in double figures for the Blue Devils in three straight outings.
• 10 rebounds by Jessica Farrell are a career-best mark.
• Bryant scored 32 points in the paint on Tuesday and converted 21 CCSU turnovers into 19 points.  Central turned 14 Bryant turnovers into a total of 17 points.
• The visitors finished with a slim 39-37 edge in rebounding on Tuesday.
• Maranda Nyborg led four Bulldogs in double-digit scoring and all players in the game with 18 points, as she hit 7-of-12 field goals and went 4-of-5 from the foul line.
• Bryant's Mia Mancini fished with a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds, and teammate Nia Scott led all players on the boards on Tuesday night with 12 rebounds; six of which came on the offensive glass.

UP NEXT

• Central heads for Hamilton, New York on Friday evening to open a two-game road swing at Colgate University.  Game time against the Raiders is set for 6:00 p.m.