SCORE: Bryant 62, UAlbany 55
LOCATION: Chace Athletic Center - Smithfield, R.I.
RECORDS: UAlbany 11-5, 1-2 America East | Bryant 14-3, 4-0 America East
SHORT STORY: UAlbany went possession-for-possession with Bryant on the road, controlling the paint and surging out of halftime before the Bulldogs used late free throws to close out a tight matchup, Saturday afternoon.
KEY STATS
- Sophomore Martina Borrellas led UAlbany with 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting to go with four rebounds and a steal in 39 minutes.
- Senior Gabriela Falcão added 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting and six rebounds while tallying two assists and two steals.
- Freshman Amaya Stewart recorded a game-high 10 rebounds, including six on the offensive glass, and finished with eight points.
- Graduate student Júlia Palomo Vicente chipped in eight points with two three-pointers, four rebounds and three assists.
- As a team, the Great Danes outscored Bryant 32-26 in the paint and shot 44.2% from the field.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- UAlbany settled in early on the road with efficient touches for Delanie Hill, Gabriela Falcão, and Martina Borrellas trading possessions with Bryant from the jump.
- The Great Danes defended the interior well, forcing the Bulldogs to the perimeter and limiting clean looks in the paint.
- Neither team led by more than one possession as the opening frame closed even, tied 14-14.
- Amaya Stewart and Borrellas powered UAlbany on the offensive glass, creating second-chance finishes and briefly pushing the Great Danes ahead at 22-20.
- Falcão continued to provide steady mid-range scoring to keep the offense balanced.
- After a tight defensive stretch on both ends, UAlbany entered halftime down, 25-24.
- The Great Danes came out of the locker room strong and shot over 53 percent in the third frame.
- Borrellas and Falcão combined for timely buckets as the teams traded eight lead changes in another back-and-forth period.
- A late Bryant basket nudged the Bulldogs in front as the quarter ended with UAlbany trailing by just one point, 41-40.
- Lara Langermann opened the fourth quarter with a wing three to push the Great Danes ahead.
- Stewart attacked the rim and Júlia Palomo Vicente connected from deep to help UAlbany pull within three with under 20 seconds remaining.
- Forced to foul in the closing seconds, UAlbany watched Bryant secure the game at the line for a 62-55 final.
NEXT: The Great Danes stay on the road for America East contests against Binghamton (Jan. 15) and Vermont (Jan. 17).
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