Bulldogs fall to Siena, 78-59, in 2K Classic Smithfield Subregional Championship

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Siena led from start to finish Saturday afternoon despite 17 points from Bulldog sophomore guard Hunter Ware (Powder Springs, Ga.), as the Bryant University men's basketball team fell to the Saints, 78-59, in the 2K Classic Smithfield Subregional Championship Game at the Chace Athletic Center.

The Bulldogs (2-2) also saw 12 points from sophomore Bosko Kostur (Melbourne, Australia), including seven straight in a key stretch last in the second half, with 11 more coming from junior forward Dan Garvin (Bethel, Conn.). Garvin also pulled in a game-best nine boards while putting up a pair of blocks for the Black and Gold. Senior point guard Shane McLaughlin (Old Tappan, N.J.) added six points with four assists and four steals, earning all-tournament team honors (16 assists, 12 points on weekend).

Siena All-Tournament Team selection Brett Bisping paced the Saints (2-2) and the contest with 24 points off 8-of-14 shooting and five triples, while Nico Clareth added 16 and Smithfield Subregional Tournament MVP Marquis Wright chipped in 14 more. Bisping also led the team on the glass with seven boards, posting two of the team's five blocks.

The Saints jumped out to an 18-6 lead via a 10-point run fueled by five-straight points from Lavon Long (9 points) with 13 minutes left on the first-half clock. The visitors would extend that lead to 22-8 less than two minutes later, going 6-for-6 from the floor over the 4:40 span.

The Bulldogs put together back-to-back baskets to cut the deficit to 10 points, 22-12, but the hosts would give it back with a triple and a three-point play entering the final eight minutes of the stanza.

Kostur hit the first trifecta of the game for the Black and Gold with 4:41 to play before the intermission, breaking an 0-for-5 stretch to open the contest for a 33-19 margin favoring the Saints. Sophomore forward Gus Riley (Nelson, New Zealand) would follow with his own make from downtown for six-straight Bulldog points, and a McLaughlin free throw would complete the 7-0 run.

But Siena would end the half on a 7-0 run of its own, capped off by a steal and wide open three from Clareth from the top of the arc. The Saints converted nearly 60 percent of their shots in the opening 20 minutes, including going 6-for-13 from 3-point land and outrebounding the Bulldogs, 18-12.

The Saints made it a quick 20-point advantage with a three from Bisping out of the break, and while the Bulldogs kept pace with Siena from there, they wouldn't be able to close the gap. A dunk from rookie guard Nisre Zouzoua (Brockton, Mass.) (6 points) and jumper from Ware narrowed the deficit to 17 twice in the first 10 minutes, but the score wouldn't get any closer until a 10-0 Bulldog run over 2:16 cut it to single digits, 59-50, with 7:18 to play.

McLaughlin started off the run with his first trey of the night, and Kostur would score the next seven – including a dunk and a 3-pointer of his own – to bring the margin down to nine. But just 25 seconds later, Kostur would pick up his fifth foul of the game, allowing Siena the opening it needed to re-up its lead and put a stop to the Bulldogs' momentum.

The visitors would outscore the home side, 13-6, entering the final two minutes of action, and Siena would complete the start-to-finish lead with the 78-59 final to win the 2K Classic Smithfield Subregional Championship.

The Bulldogs rebounded from a 32.1 percent shooting performance in the first half to finish at a 37.3 percent clip on the evening (41.9 percent in the second half). The home side hit just 5-of-22 from deep and once again struggled from the line at 55.6 percent (10-18). Bryant finished the day with 10 steals.

Siena was stellar from the floor, making 62 percent (31-50) and going 9-of-19 from beyond the arc. The Saints also won the edge on the glass, 31-30.

The Bulldogs return to action Wednesday night, traveling to nearby Cambridge, Mass., to take on Harvard at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN3.