SMITHFIELD, R.I. (November 22, 2024) – Bryant University made 60 percent of its shots in the fourth quarter as part of 54.4-percent shooting overall to secure an 82-71 victory over Stonehill College in non-conference women's basketball action at Chace Athletic Center tonight.
Junior
Breezie Williams and sophomore
Mia Mancini combined for 45 points to lead four from Bryant in double-figures. Williams scored a game and career-high 25 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including 4-for-6 from three-point range, with five rebounds and four assists, while Mancini added 20 points, aided by 4-of-8 shooting from long range, three assists, two rebounds and two steals.
Postgrad
Maranda Nyborg added 19 points, five rebounds, three assists, a steal and a blocked shot for Bryant, while sophomore
Nia Scott contributed a double-double with ten points and a game-high 14 rebounds, with four assists. The Bulldogs took advantage of 18 Stonehill turnovers with a 21-16 edge in points off and matched the Skyhawks from three-point distance at 10-for-19 (52.6%).
Senior
Sharn Hayward notched her third-straight 20-point scoring effort, finishing with 21 points on 6-of-12 shooting, including 5-for-9 from three-point distance, and three assists. Sophomore
Brooke Paquette reached 20 points for the first time in her collegiate career, with the Skyhawk guards combining for 41 points as Paquette added three assists, two rebounds and a steal.
Senior
Maureen Stapleton did not miss in posting her second career double-figure scoring effort with 11 points on 4-of-4 shooting, draining all three from long range, with four boards, four assists and a steal. Postgrad
Kylie Swider finished a point shy of her second career double-double, pulling down a career-high matching ten rebounds with nine points.
Paquette scored 20 points for the first time in her collegiate career for the Skyhawks tonight (PHOTO BY Wesley Bunnell/Stockton Photo)
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Stonehill held an early three-point lead (10-7) after Stapleton's first three-pointer of the night 3:13 into the game. Bryant responded with a 14-3 run sparked by a Williams three-pointer and fueled by five-straight points from Nyborg to grab an eight-point lead (21-13) after a Mancini layup with 3:24 to play in the first quarter. The Bulldogs extended their lead to ten (25-15) with a putback from Scott and led by 11 (29-18) after a Williams floater with seven seconds left before Paquette capped the quarter with a jumper to draw Stonehill back within nine (29-20) heading to the second quarter.
Swider drew Stonehill back within seven (29-22) on the first possession of the second quarter, but Bryant followed with seven-straight points, including four from Nyborg, to open a 14-point lead (36-22) after a three-pointer by sophomore
Martina Boba less than two minutes into the frame. Stonehill finished the half strong, holding Bryant without a field goal over the final 2:34 and scoring nine of the last 11 points in the quarter, sparked by four from Paquette while freshman
Julia Webster scored the Skyhawks last five points of the half to draw within seven (45-38) at the break.
Bryant scored the first seven points in the third quarter to restore its 14-point lead (52-38) after a Williams three, three minutes in. Stonehill chipped away again, pulling back within eight (57-49) with a Stapleton three midway through the quarter and was back within five (59-54) on a Paquette layup with a minute to go in the frame.
Bryant capped the third quarter with a Mancini three to carry an eight-point lead (62-54) into the fourth and reclaimed a double-digit advantage (66-55) after a Williams triple in the first minute. Stonehill answered with seven straight points, including five by Hayward, to close to within four (66-62) after a Paquette jumper with 6:32 still to play. The Skyhawks would get no closer with the deficit just five (69-64) after a Swider layup with 4:18 remaining, but the Bulldogs held and scored the next seven, including five by Williams who pushed the lead to ten (76-66) with a three-pointer with 2:54 to play.
Stapleton's third three-pointer of the night pulled Stonehill within seven (76-69) with 2:14 to go, but the Skyhawks scored just two points the rest of the way as Bryant closed the win out with four Williams free-throws in the final minute.
Noteworthy
