Box Score SMITHFIELD, R.I. - Bryant University men's basketball sophomores Ikenna Ndugba (Boston, Mass.), Adam Grant (Franklin, Va.) and Tanner Johnson (Lexington, Ky.) were all in double figures, but the Bulldogs fell to LIU Brooklyn, 84-71, Saturday afternoon at the Chace Athletic Center.
Ndugba scored 18 points, while Grant added 15 and Johnson chipped in 14. Freshman Brandon Carroll (Brewster, N.Y.) added nine points and a career-high 10 rebounds.
GAME INFORMATION
LIU Brooklyn 84, Bryant 71
Records: Bryant (2-23, 1-11 NEC), LIU Brooklyn (12-13, 7-5 NEC)
Location: Chace Athletic Center (Smithfield, R.I.)
KEY MOMENTS
- The Blackbirds hit six three pointers in the first seven minutes to open a 20-8 lead.
- Grant and Johnson each hit a pair of threes as Bryant pulled within nine, 39-30, with 27 seconds left in the half.
- A Johnson three made it an eight-point game with 18:12 left in the game but the Blackbirds outscored the Bulldogs 21-8 over the next eight minutes to put the game away.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- LIU's Julian Batts hit a trio of three-pointers and scored 16 points in the first seven minutes as the Blackbirds grabbed a 22-8 lead.
- Grant sank back-to-back threes to pull the Bulldogs within 10 with 3:46 left in the first half.
- Johnson then matched Grant, canning multiple trifectas late in the half before Batts sank another three at the halftime buzzer to give LIU a 12-point lead at the brake.
- Carroll threw down a dunk and Johnson followed it with a three as the Bulldogs pulled within eight two minutes into the second half.
- Jashaun Agosto and Batts hit threes over a minute apart to give LIU a 22-point lead with 11:40 to go in the game.
STATS
- Sophomores Grant, Johnson Ndugba combined to score 47 of Bryant's 71 points.
- Senior Hunter Ware (Powder Springs, Ga.) contributed six points, five rebounds and two steals.
- Bryant shot 36.5 percent from the field and was just 6-for-26 from beyond the arc.
- The Bulldogs were outrebounded, 44-31.
GAME NOTES
- Bryant drops to 6-12 all-time against LIU Brooklyn, as the Blackbirds sweep the season series.
- Ndugba had three steals to pass Dyami Starks (2012-15) for ninth in Bryant's Division I era (2008-) in steals with 76.
- Ware became the 11th player in Bryant's Division I era to score 700 career points.
- The starting lineup of Ndugba, Grant, sophomore Sabastian Townes (Chesapeake, Va.), Johnson and Carroll was the 16th starting five for the Bulldogs this season, the most nationally.
UP NEXT
Bryant heads on the road next Thursday when it travels to Staten Island to take on Wagner at 5 p.m. The game will be broadcasted live on the CBS Sports Network.
Tickets for the 2017-18 Bryant University men's basketball season are available by clicking HERE or calling (401) 319-TIXX.
Follow Bryant University men's basketball on Twitter and Instagram to get an inside look at the program.
GAME INFORMATION
St. Francis Brooklyn 73, Bryant 69
Records: Bryant (2-22, 1-10 NEC), St. Francis Brooklyn (10-13, 7-4 NEC)
Location: Chace Athletic Center (Smithfield, R.I.)
KEY MOMENTS
- A 10-0 Bryant run midway through the first half gave the Bulldogs a 30-18 advantage.
- St. Francis responded with an 18-3 run and led by one at the half.
- Bryant pushed the lead back to nine as sophomore Adam Grant (Franklin, Va.) scored 10 points in a span of three possessions with a trio of three-pointers and the third followed by a free throw.
- St. Francis trailed by seven with 6:44 to go but went on an 8-0 run and the teams traded baskets until the Terriers iced the game from the line.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- St. Francis Brooklyn jumped ahead 9-2 with a trio of three-pointers before a 9-0 Bryant run gave the Bulldogs an 11-9 lead with 14:24 to go in the first half.
- Bryant pushed its lead to 12 with 7:56 remaining in the opening half on a basket from sophomore Ikenna Ndugba (Boston, Mass.) as the Bulldogs opened 14-of-20 shooting.
- The Terriers responded with an 18-3 run to take a 36-33 lead with 1:46 to go in the half.
- St. Francis took a 37-36 lead into the locker room despite the Bulldogs outshooting the Terriers, 53.3 percent to 37.1.
- Townes led all scorers with 13 first-half points.
- St. Francis led 41-40 before 10 straight points from Grant in a span of 1:37 gave Bryant a 50-41 lead with 14:38 to go.
- A dunk from freshman Brandon Carroll (Brewster, N.Y.) gave Bryant a 60-53 lead with 6:44 to play, but St. Francis answered with an 8-0 run to take back the lead. An offensive rebound and basket from senior Hunter Ware (Powder Springs, Ga.) pushed the Bulldogs back in front by one at the final media timeout.
- The teams traded the lead back and forth until the Terriers took a 67-66 advantage on a pair of free throws with 90 seconds remaining. St. Francis closed out the game from the free-throw line for the four-point victory.
STATS
- Townes tallied 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting.
- Grant added 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting and 5-of-9 from three.
- Ndugba added 11 points with seven coming in the second half.
- Bryant shot 47.4 percent for the game while holding St. Francis to 38.7 percent.
- The Bulldogs were outrebounded, 46-33.
GAME NOTES
- Bryant drops to 6-11 all-time against St. Francis Brooklyn, as the Terriers sweep the season series.
- Townes returned to the lineup Thursday after missing the last three games due to a nose injury suffered Jan. 11 vs. Wagner. The sophomore had his fourth game of 20 or more points this season.
- Ndugba had three steals to pass Dyami Starks (2012-15) for ninth in Bryant's Division I era (2008-) in steals with 76.
- Ware became the 11th player in Bryant's Division I era to score 700 career points.
- The starting lineup of Ndugba, Grant, Townes, sophomore Tanner Johnson (Lexington, Ky.) and senior Gus Riley (Nelson, New Zealand) was the 15th starting five for the Bulldogs this season, which ties FGCU for the most nationally.
UP NEXT
Bryant concludes a four-game homestand Saturday at 4 p.m. when the Bulldogs host LIU Brooklyn for Alumni Day. The game can be seen on NEC Front Row and heard on WOON 1240 AM with Jon Wallach and Tristan Hobbes on the call.
Tickets for Saturday's game and the 2017-18 Bryant University men's basketball season are available by clicking HERE or calling (401) 319-TIXX.
Follow Bryant University men's basketball on Twitter and Instagram to get an inside look at the program.
