Bulldogs trim large second-half deficit but fall short of comeback in Monday’s 70-65 loss to Crimson

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – After trailing by as many as 22 points in the second half, the Bryant University men's basketball team roared back with a 32-13 run in the second frame, but could not overcome Harvard's length and size in Monday's 70-65 loss to close out non-conference play.

The Crimson (9-5) used its length advantage and efficiency from both inside and out to go on four separate runs of eight points or more and build a 48-26 advantage over the Bulldogs (5-14) at the 17:36 mark of the second half. With the visitors leading by 20 points with 14:21 to go, sophomore Marcel Pettway (North Providence, R.I.) got a pass on the left block, turned and attacked the rim and emphatically threw down a two-handed slam over a defender.

Though it was still an 18-point game, it gave the Bulldogs life and rejuvenated the squad on both ends of the floor. Pettway netted four more points during a 15-4 run capped off with a Taylor McHugh (Centreville, Va.) triple and freshman Sabastian Townes (Chesapeake, Va.) layin to get the team within single digits for the first time in 18 minutes of play, 57-48, at the 6:42 mark.

The match that was ignited did not fade out, as junior Bosko Kostur (Melbourne, Australia) drained back-to-back triples two minutes later to cut the margin to five with four minutes left. Siyani Chambers answered with a 15-footer from the right corner late in the shot clock and then a pair of free throws to give Harvard a 63-54 edge and under 3:00 to go.

The Chambers jumper was one of just six made field goals for Harvard in the second half, as freshman Adam Grant (Franklin, Va.) got fouled on a three after the Crimson's small four point surge. Grant hit the trio of attempts and followed with a running jumper in the paint to get Bryant within four, 63-59, with just 45 seconds left.

Ikenna Ndugba (Boston, Mass.) answered two more Crimson free throws with an NBA-range trifecta from the left wing, then the freshman got fouled on a three-point attempt and knocked down his attempts to get the Bulldogs within just one, 66-65, with 19 seconds remaining.

After two more Chambers freebies at the line, Ndugba waved off a screen and looked to tie the contest on Bryant's final possession. He got to the same spot he made the 26-foot triple just 27 seconds prior, but the longer Seth Towns got a piece of the shot and Harvard grabbed the ball with two seconds to play, as it hit two from the charity stripe to ice the game.  

Townes tallied a career-high 17 points on 6-of-12 shooting, Kostur netted 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting including four triples and Ndugba netted 14 points and dished out a game-best five assists. Two days after a career high of 32 points on a Bulldog record nine threes in 53 minutes of action against Sacred Heart, Grant scored just seven points and hit one shot while grabbing a team-high eight rebounds.

Four Crimson players netted double-figures, led by Chris Lewis and Bryce Aiken with 14 apiece, as the former snared seven boards. Towns and Chambers each scored 13 points in the win. Both Aiken and Towns combined for 27 of the team's 30 bench points compared to Bryant's five.

Delving back into Northeast Conference play for the remainder of the regular season, the Bulldogs travel to western Pennsylvania to take on St. Francis U. Thursday at 7:00 p.m.