MANCHESTER, NH -  Bryant University senior guard John Williams poured in a career-high 38 points to help lead the Bulldogs to an 87-80 win over Saint Anselm College Saturday at Stoutenberg Gym.  Williams scored 20 points in the second half and helped seal the win with strong free throw shooting down the stretch as the Bulldogs won their fourth in-a-row, and third against a team ranked regionally in the past two weeks.

Bryant (17-7, 12-7 NE-10), ranked No. 4 in the Northeast Region, raced out to an 18-2 lead to open the game, but the Hawks, ranked No. 2 in the Northeast, would respond by out-scoring the Bulldogs 13-2 during a span of six minutes to pull to within 21-15 with 8:49 left in the first half.

Williams would stretch the Bryant lead to 34-24 after picking up a steal on Jim Holsworth near midcourt and draining a deep three with 2:45 left as the Bulldogs finished the half strong heading into the break.

Saint Anselm, trailing 36-32 at the half, started to heat up in the second half, thanks to pin-point shooting from senior Jim Moore. Moore would connect on a three from the top of the key and Holworth would score on the inside to give the hosts a 49-47 advantage.  The Hawks would stretch the lead back to 55-49, but the night belonged to Williams and the Bulldogs as Bryant shot 64 percent from the floor in the second half and made 15 of 16 free throws in the final 20 minutes.

Williams, who scored a 37 points the last time Bryant played at Stoutenberg Gym in the NE-10 playoffs last year, matched Moore's scoring by draining a pair of three's and scored on a pullup with a minute left to give Bryant an 80-76 lead.

After Matt Cahill cut the lead down to 80-78 with a pair of free throws, Williams hit two more free throws to push the lead back to four, 82-78. 

On Saint Anselm's ensuing possession, Cahill's fade-away 15-footer rimmed out and Bryant's Dan Hammond was there for the rebound, preserving the win for the Bulldogs.

Williams finished the game 11-for-22 from the floor including 6 of 9 from three-point range.  He was a perfect 10-for-10 from the line and played all 40 minutes.  His 6 three's moves him to within one of tying Bryant's career three-point record of 295. 

Nathaniel Sudlow and Hammond each had 10 points while Moore finished with 31 points and 10 rebounds to pace the Hawks.

Bryant will return home to begin a three-game homestand to close out the regular season starting Wednesday night when the Bulldogs host Saint Michael's at the Chace Athletic Center.