SMITHFIELD, R.I. - The Monmouth University women's basketball team dropped a 63-50 decision to Bryant University in Northeast Conference play on Saturday afternoon at the Chace Center. The loss drops the Hawks to 10-11 on the season and 5-5 in the NEC, while the Bulldogs improve to 9-12 and 6-4 in the league. BU led wire-to-wire in the NEC contest to win its second straight and fifth in the last six games.
Back-to-back hoops from freshman Adriana Allen (Ajax, Ont. /Pickering) whittled Bryant's once 18-point second half lead to 54-48 with 3:10 left in the contest, but the Hawks could claw no closer before eventually falling.
Allen led the way for MU with a career-high 13 points, adding four assists in 31 minutes of action. Freshman Erin Rooney (Christchurch, N.Z. /Marian College) tied her career-high with 12 points, adding three rebounds, on 5-of-9 field goal shooting.
Bryant hit its first five shots, including a triple from senior Kelsey O'Keefe, to take an 11-2 lead with 15:58 left in the opening half. The Bulldogs kept the pressure on the Hawks, with Lekia Cowen burying back-to-back left corner three-pointers to push BU's advantage to 19-8 with 11:40 remaining before halftime.
Sophomore Alexis Canady (Forestville, Md. /Bishop McNamara) canned a left corner jumper, but the Bulldogs, but Bryant continued to build on its cushion, taking a 25-10 lead with 7:45 left in the first half. BU maintained its double-digit advantage, taking a 33-20 lead into the halftime lockers. Rooney and Allen each led the way for MU with seven first half points, while Cowen had 10 for the Bulldogs. Bryant, which led by as many as 17 in opening half, shot 53.6% in the first 20 minutes, compared to just 33.3% for the Hawks.
The Bulldogs' lead grew to 49-32 with 11:45 left in the game after a Siamone Bennett basket and a pair of free throws from Meredith Soper. A driving lay-in to beat the shot clock from Carly Thibault (East Lyme, Conn. /East Lyme) and two free throws from Betsy Gadziala (Whiteboro, N.Y. /Whitesboro) cut Bryant's lead to 49-38 with 8:22 left in the contest.
Gabby Singer (Harrisburg, Pa. /Central Dauphin) brought the Hawks within 10 at 53-43 after swishing a triple from the right wing with 5:20 left in the second half.
Bennett led Bryant, which shot 45.3% for the game, with 16 points on 8-of-12 shooting, while Cowen added 12 points. O'Keefe, whose 33 points last time the two teams met on January 9 was the most an opponent has ever scored on a Stephanie V. Gaitley-coached team, scored 15 points for Bryant.
The Hawks shot 33.9% (20-of-59) from the floor in the game, including 2-of-21 from beyond the arc. MU's bench, paced by Allen, a career-best six points from Gadziala and a season-high four from Liz Kudirka (Planview, N.Y. /Planview), outscored Bryant 27-16.
Canady stuffed the stat sheet with six points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals for the Hawks.
Monmouth returns to action when it visits in-state league rival Fairleigh Dickinson in the first of a home-and-home on Thursday at 5:00 pm at Stratis Arena.
