BOX SCORE

SMITHFIELD, R.I. (Jan. 7, 2012) – Bryant converted on 16 of 20 second-half foul shots to erase a six-point halftime deficit and best Saint Francis U., 57-52, at Chace Athletic Center on Saturday.  The Red Flash dropped its fourth straight with the setback and fell to 5-9 (2-1 Northeast).

The Flash allowed to Bulldogs (8-5; 2-1 Northeast) to slowly creep back into the game over the opening nine minutes of the second half.  Bryant took its first lead since the 13 minute mark of the first half with just under 11 minutes to play.

“We're just not sharp enough,” said SFU head coach Susan Robinson Fruchtl.  “We've been going over it in film and in practice.  The kids have to take more ownership and be more detail-oriented.  It's tough to win on the road when you're not.”

Alli Williams (Altoona, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle) scored a game-high 18 points, pulled down eight boards and racked up a career-high four blocks to lead the Flash.  Kelley Doogan (Claymont, Del./Ursuline Academy) also continued her recent surge to score nine.

Bryant's Naana Ankoma-Mensa tallied 17 points.

Saint Francis shot 24 percent from the field in the second half after shooting 37.5 in the first.  Meanwhile, the Bulldogs converted on a 35.5 percent clip and upped their percentage to 39.1 in the second.

Overall, Bryant went 16-for-23 from the free throw line in the contest, compared to an 11-for-13 performance for the Flash.

“We put Bryant on the line 23 times and that's entirely too much,” said Robinson Fruchtl, whose team wraps up a seven-game road trip with Monday's 7 p.m. tilt at Central Conn. State.

The Red Flash held a, 51-49, lead with 3:34 to play in regulation but came up empty on its next four possessions as the Bulldogs made its clinching run.

“I've got to hand it to Bryant,” said Robinson Fruchtl.  “They executed their game plan with their zone.  They played hard and they certainly wanted this game.”

Bryant opened up an early, 8-0, lead before SFU raced back to eventually take a nine-point advantage late in the first half.  Up, 28-22, at the intermission, Williams hit a pair of free throws to put the Flash up by eight before Bryant inched its way back into the game.