KINGSTON, R.I. – The Cornell women's basketball team closed the URI Classic with a 66-55 victory over Bryant this afternoon at the Ryan Center in Kingston, R.I. The Big Red used a 19-7 scoring run over the closing moments of the first half and the opening minutes of the second half to erase an early deficit and go onto the victory.  

Cornell was led by junior Lauren Benson, who was named to the All-Tournament team after scoring a career-high with 19 points to go along with six rebounds and four assists. Junior Allie Fedorowicz chipped in 17 points, while senior Shannan Scarselletta added 15 points and sophomore Susie Doyle grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds.

Bryant (2-4) was led by Kelsey O'Keefe and Cara Johnson with 11 points apiece.   

The Big Red shot 39.3 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from 3-point range, while holding the Bulldogs to 33.9 percent overall and 27.8 percent from beyond the arc. Despite the height disadvantage, Cornell held the slight edge in rebounds, 39-35, and forced 21 Bryant turnovers.

Bryant jumped out to an early 6-0 lead, scoring on its first three possessions, before Fedorowicz nailed a 3-pointer from the right side as the shot clock was about to expire to get Cornell on the board. Shannon Wood put back an offensive board to make it a five-point Bulldog lead, but a strong up-and-under post move by Scarselletta led to a wide open layup to make it an 8-5 game. On Cornell's next possession, Fedorowicz hit a five-foot runner from the left baseline to make it a one-point game.

After another Bulldog basket, three straight points by Scarselletta knotted the game at 10-10 at the 13:22 mark. The teams traded baskets on the next several possessions with Cornell's next four points coming from Fedorowicz off a long 2-pointer and a six-foot jumper from the baseline.  

Bryant built its lead back to four points before a free throw by Scarselletta and a driving layup from Benson brought Cornell back to one-point, 18-17, with 8:20 to play in the half.

Courtney Schermerhorn answered with a trey on the next possession, but the Big Red closed the half with a 12-2 scoring run to take the 29-23 advantage into halftime. The run was opened by Lacey Workman with a trey from the top of the key, before two made free throws by Doyle gave the Big Red its first lead of the contest, 22-21, with 5:16 to play in the half. Benson connected on Cornell's next possession with a long jumper from beyond the men's 3-point line to make it a 25-21 game.  Johnson hit a jumper from just inside the arc to end the Bryant drought, but Scarselletta answered with a layup on the other end. The Big Red's final points in the half came as Allie Munson stuffed a shot by Stephanie Fontaine and Virginia McMunigal picked up the loose ball and sent it ahead to Benson, who scored the fast break layup.

Wood opened the second half with a 3-pointer to make it a three point game, but Cornell used a 7-2 scoring run to build a 36-28 advantage early in the second half. McMunigal opened the scoring with a trey from the top of the key, before Scarselletta converted an offensive board. Doyle ended the run with a jumper from two steps behind the foul line.

Cornell then extended its lead to double-digits as Benson scored off a driving layup to make it a 40-30 game with 15:26 left to play in the contest.

Despite nearly a five-minute Big Red scoring drought, the Cornell defense was exceptional, forcing Bryant into several turnovers and low-percentage shots to keep its lead, as Workman's 3-pointer from the left corner at the 8:51 mark made it a 46-34 game.

Johnson kept Bryant in the game, answering Cornell's next three baskets with makes of her own, but Cornell kept the double-digit lead, 51-40, with 6:31 to play. After a long jumper by McMunigal, the Bulldogs scored seven unanswered points , capped by a traditional three-point play from Schermerhorn to pull within four points, 55-51, with just over three minutes remaining in the contest.

A step-back 3-pointer by Fedorowicz from the left side of the arc gave the Big Red some breathing room, pushing the advantage back to seven points, and two made free throws by Benson put Cornell up, 60-51, with 1:16 showing on the clock.

O'Keefe scored on Bryant's next possession with just over one minute to play, but Benson went6-for-6 from the free throw line down the stretch as Cornell held on for the 66-55 victory.