Pioneers Travel to Bryant Saturday
1/23/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
SACRED HEART (8-8, 3-3 NEC) VS BRYANT (12-5, 5-1 NEC)
GAME 17 * Smithfield, R.I. * Chase Athletic Center * 1:00 PM
Live Stats and Video
Inside the Series...
- This is the 21st meeting between the Pioneers and Bulldogs
- Sacred Heart is 10-1 in the Division I era, with its first loss coming last year on the road
- Bryant took the Division II series 2-7
- The two teams have never faced each other in postseason competition
Scouting the Bulldogs...
- The Bulldogs are currently tied for first place in the Northeast Conference with Central Connecticut State both having a 5-1 conference record
- Bryant's only conference loss came to the Blue Devils, 70-59, on the road
- Bryant is led by Breanna Rucker who is averaging a doble-double with 16.2 points and 11.7 rebounds per game. The junior guard ranks seventh in the nation in rebounds
- Mary Burke, the four-time Rhode Island Women's Basketball Coach of the Year ('07, '08, '13, '14), will enter her 24th season as head coach of the Bryant women's basketball team in 2014-15
SHU Against the NEC...
- SHU is 220-115 all-time against Northeast Conference opponents
- The Pioneers were an even 9-9 last season in conference play
- Entering the NEC Tournament as the six seed, the Sacred Heart headed to Loretto, Pa. to face Saint Francis U in the quarterfinal. After a double-overtime battle, the Red Flash moved on to the semifinal with a 132-124 win
- SHU has a winning record against all NEC teams: Bryant 11-8, Central Connecticut State 28-15, Fairleigh Dickinson 24-2, LIU Brooklyn 16-15, Mount St. Mary's 24-5, Robert Morris 20-9, Saint Francis U 18-11, St. Francis Brooklyn 23-10 and Wagner 20-9
- Sacred Heart is 16-12 in the Northeast Cofnerence Tournament, and have won three Championships (2006, 2009, 2012)
Last Time Out...
Hannah Kimmel recorded her fifth double double in seven games, recording game-highs with 23 points and 12 rebounds, but the Sacred Heart University women's basketball team could not overcome 36.2 percent (27-74) shooting as it fell to Robert Morris, 76-65, on Monday afternoon at the Charles L. Sewall Center. With a season-high 12 points, Katherine Haines was the only other Pioneer to score in double figures for SHU, who falls to an even 8-8 overall and 3-3 in Northeast Conference play. Balanced scoring paced RMU, as Anna Stamolamprou and Rebecca Navarro each scored 14 while Ashley Ravelli added 12. The Colonials improve to 6-11 and 4-2 in league play.
Pioneers Against the NEC on the Road...
Sacred Heart is 82-54 all time against Northeast Conference opponents on the road. The Pioneers are currently 1-2 against conference foes on the road with Monday's loss to Robert Morris. Last season SHU went 1-9 against the NEC on the road, including the 132-124 double-overtime battle at Saint Francis U in the NEC Quarterfinal.
