BROOKLYN HEIGHTS, N.Y. - With second place in the Northeast Conference now secured and three games to play in the regular season, the St. Francis Brooklyn women's basketball team (15-8, 11-4 NEC) sets its sight on the top spot as they travel to Smithfield, RI to take on ninth place Bryant (7-19, 5-10 NEC).
The Terriers come into Thursday night's contest on a four game winning streak, the longest current one of any NEC team and will look to take the season series over the Bulldogs after a 69-53 home win in late January.
LAST TIME OUT
Saint Francis (PA) 54 | St. Francis Brooklyn 57 - For the first time in a Terriers game this season, 40 minutes were insufficient to decide a winner and the game went to a fifth period with the teams knotted at 46. Over the course of 45 minutes, the Terriers aggressiveness paid off as they visited the foul stripe for 15 attempts compared to SFU's 10 in a game that was decided by small margins.
Three Terriers finished the game in double figures, including Isabella Posset with 10, Alyssa Fisher with 11, and SFBK's leading scorer for the afternoon Ally Lassen with 17. Lassen, whose 12.1 PPG leads the team, was later named an NEC Prime Performer for the fourth time this season.
Bryant 52 | Fairleigh Dickinson 59 - The Bulldogs lost a close game to NEC leaders FDU in Teaneck, NJ on Sunday. Although the visitors outscored the Knights 26-19 in the second half, the damage was done in the opening half when they allowed 40, and a 14 point deficit proved to be insurmountable in the end. Brooke Bjelko and Fatou Jallow led the scoring efforts for the Bulldogs with 12 a-piece.
St. Francis Brooklyn and Bryant last played each other on Jan. 23 when the Terriers secured a 13 point win at home, their biggest win over the Bulldogs in the previous five attempts. The Terriers built a hefty 14 point lead heading into halftime and kept the kept the visitors at arm's length the rest of the way. Nevena Dimitrijevic led the hosts that afternoon with 17 points, six assists and four steals.
Although the Terriers lead Bryant in most stat categories this season, the Bulldogs have excelled rebounding.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at the Chace Athletic Center in Smithfield, RI and the game can be streamed on NEC Front Row.
