BRYANT MEN DEFEAT FIRST-PLACE UMASS LOWELL, 82-66
Northeast-10 Conference Basketball
Box Score

SMITHFIELD, RI – John Williams (Springfield, Mass.) scored a season-high 31 points as Bryant outscored UMass Lowell 18-4 during a 6:38 span in the second half in earning an 82-66 upset of the conference-leading River Hawks Wednesday at the Chace Athletic Center.  Bulldog freshman Center Nick Pontes (New Bedford, MA) - pictured below - scored a career-high 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Bryant. 
     
UMass Lowell (16-6, 12-5 Northeast-10) entered the game ranked No. 2 in the NCAA Northeast Region and got a strong effort from senior standout Stacey Morange who scored a game-high 36 points on 15 of 20 shooting from the floor.  
      
Bryant would use a strong second-half surge to pick up the key win as the Bulldogs drained 11 three-pointers on the night (11 of 27) and shot 48.4 percent for the game.
      
Leading 43-36 at the half, Bryant would watch the River Hawks pull to within 47-46 after an inside basket by Moragne, but Chris Burns (Merrimack, NH) would hit back-to-back three-pointers to keep the Bulldogs in front.
      
Bryant (14-7, 9-7 NE-10) took a 63-58 lead after a Pontes basket in the lane, sparking an 18-4 run that would put the game away.  Williams was 9-for-20 from the floor including 6 for 12 from three-point range.  Dan Hammond (Brunswick, ME) had 10 points and five rebounds while Jon Ezeokoli (South Orange, NJ) added 10 rebounds and 7 assists.
      Pontes, whose previous high was 18 against Bloomfield earlier this season, had 15 points at the half and finished the game missing just two shots from the floor, going 10 for 12  in 19 minutes of action. 
        Bryant will travel to Southern N.H. on Saturday for a 3:30 pm game.