Bryant holds off Conway in high-scoring affair

The Bryant Lady Hornets almost got to see if the third digit on the scoreboard worked. Five players in double figures was almost enough to hit the century mark in Bryant's 92-85 win over Conway at the Hornets' Nest on Tuesday night, thanks not only to some hot three-point shooting, but to some fearless lane penetration from guards Haylie Montgomerie and Taylor Hughes. The game was up and down throughout. Both teams used a pressing defense, but Bryant's seemed more effective as the game wore on. In the early going, however, Conway looked as if they were going to try to push around their physically inferior opponents. Alana Morris got Bryant's first two buckets, the first of which came from behind the three-point line on the right wing. Her second on a layup. Both buckets tied the score. The game stayed back and forth until Haylie Montgomerie made two shots inside among the trees for Bryant. Kenzie Calley then hit a running baby hook shot with four seconds to go in the first giving the Lady Hornets a 24-20 lead and the crowd got a glimpse of what type of game was to come. The second quarter stayed close in the opening minutes. That's when Hannah Goshien started hitting. Her three from the right corner gave Bryant a 29-24 advantage and sparked the Lady Hornets' 13-0 run, their biggest of the night. The play that electrified the packed crowd was when Shameka Johnson stole a Conway pass penetrated the foul line and found Montgomerie on the right wing and hit a transition three giving the Lady Hornets a 34-24 lead. Conway woke up and chipped away at Bryant's sudden surge cutting the lead to nine points and was holding for the final shot. But with less than 10 seconds to go Morris snagged a rebound and drove down the floor to the three-point line, stopped and popped a second-quarter buzzer beating three giving the Lady Hornets (12-3, 4-0) a 44-32 halftime cushion. The Lady Wampus Cats just wouldn't go away. Though Bryant built a 62-42 lead, Conway struck back with a 11-0 run that closed the gap to single digits. But Taylor Hughes stepped in with a pair of drives that resulted in five straight points giving Bryant what appeared to be a comfortable 69-53 lead going into the fourth quarter. That lead was all but safe. Conway had one last run in them thanks to N'adra Robertson who exploded for 16 points in the quarter as the Lady Wampus Cats had the most success of the night breaking Bryant's press. Robertson finished the night with 24 points. Conway made it a one possession game twice in the fourth quarter. Once when sophomore gaurd Taylor Gault, who led all scorers with 34 points got a steal and a layup that cut the Bryant lead to 73-70 and once again when Megan Lewis' three sliced Bryan't lead to two points at 75-73. A pair of Anna Simpson free throws and another drive by Montgomerie gave the Lady Hornets more room to breathe. Simpson and Calley each hit baseline jumpers to spark a quick 10-4 run that finally put Conway down for good. Simpson and Calley's shots were examples of what Condley said were numerous points in the game where different girls hit big shots when his team needed it. "I tell these girls every day that we don't want to be a team where they (an opponent) can key on one player," Condley said. Condley added that the play of Hughes and Montgomerie were critical in the win. Hughes finished the night with 10 points while Montgomerie nearly matched her with nine. Both fouled out and sat the last two to four minutes of the game. Simpson only had four points in the first half, but her second half was good enough to co-lead the Lady Hornets in scoring with 18 with Goshien. Morris finished the night with 17 points, 11 of which came in the first half. Calley wound up with a baker's dozen including a pair of big shots late in both halves. CONWAY 60, HORNETS 31 The Conway Wampus Cats' came into the Hornets' Nest on Tuesday sporting a 7A runner up trophy and a pair of top college prospects. They left with a 60-31 win over the Hornets. The Hornets had trouble offensively from the outset. Dijon Benton's two field goals were the only points of the first quarter. Meantime, Conway put 16 on the board and never looked back. Bryant didn't have a player score in double figures but did have a pair of young bright spots in K.J. Hampton who hit a pair of threes and Reid Prescott. Prescott made a couple of drives and got a pair of assists. The Hornets hit the road to Cabot on Friday.