BOX SCORE

When and Where: November 14, 2015 – Bridgeport, Conn. (Hubbell Gymnasium)
Score: Southern New Hampshire University 84, University of Bridgeport 70
Records: SNHU 1-0, Bridgeport 0-1

Sophomore Jennifer Shelp (Apalachin, N.Y.) and junior Sara Ryan (Quincy, Mass.) each scored 18 points to lead the Southern New Hampshire University women's basketball team to a season-opening 84-70 victory against the University of Bridgeport at the Bridgeport Women's Basketball Classic on Saturday evening at Hubbell Gymnasium.

Shelp shot an efficient 8 of 12 from the field and was a perfect 2 of 2 from the line, while tallying six rebounds, three assists and three steals. Ryan was 7-for-13 from the floor, including 3-for-5 from distance, and 1-for-2 from the stripe to go along with three rebounds, three steals and two assists. Sophomore Catherine Stinson  (Lynn, Mass.) recorded 10 points (3-6 FG, 1-3 3-FG, 3-3 FT), six assists, three rebounds and two blocks, while freshman Kylie Lorenzen (Holliston, Mass.) also finished with 10 points (4-11 FG, 2-3 FT) and pulled down five boards.

Kadijah Dickson led Bridgeport with 18 points.

Bridgeport held an early 7-6 lead less than three minutes into the contest when four straight points from Evelyn Ovner powered a 5-0 run that stretched the host's advantage to 12-6 with 5:12 left in the first quarter. Back-to-back buckets from Lorenzen sparked a 7-2 Southern New Hampshire run that trimmed its deficit to 14-13 with 3:16 to go. Bridgeport held a 17-15 edge at the end of the first quarter.

Four different scorers combined to put the first 10 points of the second stanza on the board for Southern New Hampshire, which grabbed a 25-17 advantage at the 7:32 mark of the frame on a pair of layups from freshman Aaliyah Paxton (Hainesport, N.J.). Bridgeport used a 5-0 rush to pull within three, but an 11-2 counter-run from the Penmen, featuring six points from Ryan, gave them a double-digit lead at 36-24 with 3:48 left before the half.

The Purple Knights responded with a 14-2 surge that was powered by seven points from Dickson and knotted the game at 38-all with 43 ticks left. A Lorenzen layup with five seconds remaining sent Southern New Hampshire into the locker room with a 40-38 lead.

Shelp scored the first six points of the second half for the Penmen as part of a 7-1 run that opened a 47-39 advantage for the visitors at the 7:22 mark of the third quarter. SNHU led 55-47 near the end of the third quarter when a 7-0 stretch from Bridgeport – with four points from Dickson – made it a one-point game at 55-54 with 1:13 to play. The Penmen would cling to a 57-56 lead at the end of the third.

Southern New Hampshire kicked off the fourth quarter with a 13-2 blitz – with seven points from Ryan – that gave it a 70-58 advantage three minutes in. A 5-0 run later in the frame gave the Penmen their largest lead of the night at 84-67 with 1:28 to play.

Paxton finished with eight points (1-7 FG, 6-6 FT) and five rebounds. Senior Erin Doherty (Marshfield, Mass.) posted seven points (3-8 FG, 1-2 FT) and seven rebounds, while sophomore Olivia Conrad (Hanover, Mass.) chipped in six points (2-5 FG, 2-2 FT), nine boards and two assists.

Notes:
- The Penmen begin the season 1-0 for the second straight year.
-Southern New Hampshire outshot Bridgeport, 41.7 percent (30-72) to 36.4 percent (24-66), including 31.3 percent (5-16) to 19 percent (4-21) from deep. SNHU also feasted at the line, going 19-for-22 (86.4%), while Bridgeport shot a very respectable 18-for-24 (75%).
-The Penmen owned a 48-42 advantage on the glass, won the paint, 40-26, and featured a slightly better assist-to-turnover ratio (15/16-15/18).

What's Next:
The Penmen take on the University of the Sciences on Sunday, Nov. 15 (12 p.m.) to close out their trip to the Bridgeport Women's Basketball Classic.

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