Looking to climb out of the bottom of the Northeast Conference standings, Central Connecticut’s women’s basketball team dropped another game Saturday against Bryant. The loss keeps them at ninth in the conference, clinging to a 1-6 record, only better than an 0-7 LIU Brooklyn squad.

The first quarter essentially won the Bulldogs the game. Only able to connect on 23.8 percent of their shots and missing all four of their three-point attempts, the Blue Devil offense could not keep up. The Bulldogs, on the other hand, came out of the gates hot, shooting 56.3 percent from the floor while getting to the line eight times in the first quarter. Forward Sydney Holloway’s 14 first-quarter points also helped Bryant as they jumped out to a 25-12 lead to end the period.

Things were a bit more competitive throughout the second quarter. Bryant’s red hot offense from the first was cooled down by some good defense from the Blue Devils, who were able to force five turnovers and held the Bulldogs to a 37.5 percent clip from the floor. Andi Lydon and Emma McCamus lead the way for Central offensively, each tacking on seven points as the team chipped away at the Bryant lead.

However, many of the problems the Blue Devils faced in the first ailed them in the second just the same. They matched their seven first-quarter turnovers with another seven in the second, and while improving from the first quarter, still only shot 27.8 percent in the second.

Kiana Patterson was the CCSU offense in the third. Her nine points were the only scored by starters that quarter for the Blue Devils. Off the bench came three points (one from the line).

Coming into the second half down 20, the offense going cold could not have come at a worse time. While the Bulldogs were only able to score 14 of their own in the quarter, their 12 point lead heading into the fourth looked miles away.

Two straight clutch baskets from Patterson would cut the once monstrous Bryant lead to just five in the fourth. The Bulldog offense would wake up not long after, pulling away as they brought the lead to as much as 14 before winning the game, 72-60. The final score could have been even worse for the Blue Devils, had the Bulldogs not shot an abysmal 4-12 from the line in the fourth.

The Blue Devils were outscored 42-22 in the paint on the night, but kept things competitive on the glass, being out-rebounded by the Bulldogs by just one (47-46).

Coming off the bench, McCamus led the way offensively, dropping a career-high and team-best 19 points at an efficient 46.7 percent clip. McCamus also led the team with four assists and tacked on an additional two steals.

Patterson continued her impressive scoring streak, this time coming up with 16 points. Lydon, always a presence on the boards, grabbed nine rebounds for the Blue Devils.

CCSU will take on aforementioned LIU Brooklyn on Monday, hopeful to defeat the winless team and grab their second conference win of the season.