SMITHFIELD, R.I. - The Terriers women's basketball team (16-8, 12-4 NEC) defeated Bryant (7-20, 7-15 NEC), 70-66, for the second time this season on Thursday night. The win is the 12th Northeast Conference win for the season, tying the program record set during head coach Linda Cimino's first season in charge.
Three Terriers players, Nevena Dimitrijevic, Ally Lassen and Isabella Posset, finished the game in double digits, and it was Dimitrjevic's largest scoring output since returning to the line-up.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Terriers defense was a factor as both teams struggled to kick start their offence. They forced four turnovers from Bryant in the first three minutes. Ally Lassen opened the scoring for the visitors after she received the ball from Alyssa Fisher in the paint and found the basket for two points.
Dimitrijevic, who started on the bench, entered the game for the first time and promptly drained her first three ball of the night to make the score 9-4 Terriers. She later made another three as time expired in the first quarter to put the Terriers on top 20-10.
Khaleah Edwards opened the second quarter with yet another three pointer, and the team was 5-6 from deep early on. With 7:35 to play in the quarter, the Terriers worked the ball around the perimeter and passed up a couple opportunities to shoot from three and got the ball to Lassen who spun her defender for her fourth field goal of the night.
With 6:06 to go in the half, Zharia Hutchinson found Alyssa Fisher open for three, who made the score 35-14 and gave St. Francis what would prove to be its largest lead of the night.
The hosts went on a 5-0 run over the last minute of the quarter to cut the deficit to nine going in to the locker rooms, and the score was 39-30 SFBK.
The Bulldogs closed the gap to five in the first minute of the third quarter when Alana Perkins drained her third three ball of the night. With 6:20 to play in the quarter, Fisher restored the nine point lead when she received the ball off a screen and drove to the bucket for an easy layup.
The Bulldogs' Brooke Bjelko, who along with Perkins was their co-leading scorer for the night with 17, added her name to the score sheet twice in the last two minutes of the quarter to chip away at SFBK's lead, which was down to five going into the final period.
Fruzsina Horvath scored on the first Terriers possession to open the quarter, but her two pointer was answered by Alana Perkins from downtown.
With 6:12 left in the game the Terriers played some smart inside-out ball, as Lassen drew a double team and dished out to Dimitrijevic who drained a three to make it 63-56.
Bjelko kept the Bulldogs in the contest with two buckets over the next minute and a half, and then the hosts took their first lead of the night when Alana Perkins received a cross court pass and sunk a corner three with 2:10 to go.
Edwards was unable to convert a three of her own on the next Terriers trip down the floor, but an offensive foul gave them the ball back with another chance to tie or take the lead. Dimitrijevic's three point attempt rattled the rim and went down, giving the Terriers the lead.
With under a minute to play and the game tied at 66, the visitors took their time looking for a weak spot, and Dimitrijevic weaved through the Bulldogs' defense and found the go-ahead bucket with 29.8 seconds to play. The hosts had no response on the other end, and were forced to foul and put Dimitrijevic on the line, who made it a two possession game. That was enough of a buffer for St. Francis Brooklyn to see out a 70-66 win.
TEAM LEADERS
Nevena Dimitrijevic led the Terriers in scoring with 18 despite only playing 24 minutes. The NEC's leading free throw shooter made all four of her attempts.
Ally Lassen had another strong outing, scoring 16 points on 7-15 shooting, and adding three assists and two steals.
Isabella Posset led the team in rebounds with seven, on top of 12 points and three assists.
NEXT UP: The Terriers play the second game of their final road trip of the season, as they head to North Andover, Mass. to take on Merrimack. Tip off is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, and the game will be streamed on NEC Front Row.
