Women’s Basketball Falls at Bryant in First Road Game, 75-57

Thursday, November 8

Smithfield, R.I.

7:00 PM

Brown University

Bryant

Brown

Bryant

Women’s Basketball Falls at Bryant in First Road Game, 75-57

11/8/2018 9:29:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Junior guard Justine Gaziano scored 13 points, and senior guard Shayna Mehta netted 12 points, but Brown University women's basketball fell at Bryant University, 75-57, on Thursday night at the Chace Athletic Center.

Playing in their first road game, the Bears (1-1) remained within 34-31 at the half before the host Bulldogs (2-0) used a 22-8 run in the third quarter to gain separation in the Ocean State match-up.

"I thought we would be further ahead than we are right now," Brown head coach Sarah Behn said. "We are still not clicking on all cylinders, especially when it comes to our shooting percentage. We need to move the ball better and create better shots for each other. I didn't expect us to get off to a slow start, but it's happening, and now we have to fix it."

Gaziano (Natick, Mass.) added six rebounds to her 13 points, scoring in double figures for the second time on the season and for the 46^th time in 52 career games.

Mehta (San Francisco, Calif.) tacked on six boards and three assists to her 12 points, finishing in double figures for the second time this year and 69^th time in her career. She now has 482 career field goals made, moving into eighth place on Brown's all-time list and passing Krista Butterfield '89 (479 field goals).

Senior guard Taylor Will (Arlington Heights, Ill.) totaled eight points, seven rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Senior forward Erika Steeves (Montreal, Quebec) grabbed a team-high eight rebounds, and senior forward Mary Butler (Bangor, Maine) tallied seven points and four boards.

Bryant held a 53-41 advantage in rebounding and limited the Bears to 27.9-percent shooting from the field. The Bulldogs' Sydney Holloway registered a double-double on 27 points and 20 rebounds, making 10-of-18 field goals. Haley Connors netted 18 points, hitting 4-of-11 shots from 3-point distance.

The Bears and Bulldogs remained tied at 13-13 with 4:12 left in the first quarter. Gaziano and junior center Haley Green (Salem, Va.) each scored four points, and Mehta connected on a wing 3-pointer during the opening stretch. Bryant used an 8-0 run to pull ahead 21-13 before an old-fashioned 3-point play from freshman forward Elle Baker (Scottsdale, Ariz.) helped keep Brown within 22-16 at the end of one.

In the second quarter, the Bears pulled ahead 30-27 with 5:37 left in the half behind a 17-6 run. Steeves initiated the second quarter's scoring with a pair of baskets before 3-pointers from Gaziano and Mehta pushed Brown into the lead. The Bulldogs closed the half on a 7-1 streak, but a free throw from Butler kept Brown within 34-31 of Bryant at the break.

Will scored Brown's first three points of the third quarter to cut the margin to 36-34 just over a minute into the half before Bryant used a 22-8 run to pull ahead 58-42 with 34 seconds left in the frame. A mid-range jumper from Will brought the Bears within 59-46 heading to the fourth quarter.

In the final frame, 3-pointers from Gaziano and freshman guard Maddie Mullin (Wellesley, Mass.) kept the score at 67-52 with 5:20 to play before Bryant closed out the contest.

Next, Brown plays at Boston University on Monday, Nov. 12 at 7:00 p.m. (Patriot League Network) before hosting the University of New Hampshire on Thursday, Nov. 15 at 7:00 p.m. (ESPN+).

Video of all Brown women's basketball home contests and all Ivy League games, home and away, will be broadcast live on ESPN+.

Tickets for all Brown women's basketball games can be purchased online, by calling the Brown Athletics Ticket Office at (401) 863-2773, or by walking up to the box office located in the Pizzitola Sports Center, open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.