Bulldogs wrap up homestand with Saturday clash against Red Flash (4 p.m.)

GAME NOTES

SMITHFIELD, R.I. -- After clinching its fourth NEC Tournament berth in the last five seasons Thursday night, the Bryant University men's basketball team will go up against a Saint Francis U. side embattled in a three-way tie for third, as both teams jockey for position in the conference standings down the final stretch of the regular season. Saturday's contest can be seen live on NECFrontRow.com or heard on WOON 1240 AM.

THE SERIES
Saturday's contest marks the 15th meeting between the Bulldogs and the Red Flash, and the series sits at an even 7-7. The series is also deadlocked in Smithfield (4-4), though SFU has won five of the last six matchups in the series dating back to the 2014 NEC Tournament. Earlier this season, the Red Flash defeated Bryant, 75-61, in Loretto, Pa.
 
SCOUTING THE COLONIALS
Saint Francis boasts a quartet of double-digit point scorers, paced by 13.0 from Keith Braxton. Braxton also leads the team on the glass (8.5 rpg) and is second on the side in assists (80) while shooting 53.8 percent from the floor and 45.9 percent from three. Jamaal King has 97 helpers and averages 12.7 points per game, a number matched by Isaiah Blackmon. Josh Nebo wraps up the top scorers with 12.3 points per outing. As a team, the Red Flash lead the league in scoring, averaging 75.8 points per contest, and also pace the NEC in field goal percentage (.465) and 3-point percentage (.386). But Saint Francis also allows opponents to shoot well from long range (.382) and average nearly 75 points each time out. The Red Flash average nearly eight triples and four blocks per game.

BRYANT vs. THE NORTHEAST CONFERENCE  
The Bulldogs hold an overall record of 55-83 (.399) against current NEC members since joining the Division I ranks. Prior to the 2012-13 campaign, Bryant held a 9-44 record against conference opponents, but has recorded a 46-39 (.541) record over the last four seasons. The Black and Gold are 27-17 (.614) at home versus the NEC and 22-24 on the road since the start of 2012-13. All-time against current conference institutions, the Bulldog basketball program is 69-100 (.408).

LAST TIME OUT
Bryant took over the lead in the closing minutes of the first half and wouldn't trail again in an 81-73 victory over Robert Morris Thursday night. Four players scored in double figures, paced by 19 points apiece from Nisre Zouzoua and Adam Grant, and the Bulldogs shot 51 percent from the field.
 
QUICK HITS
» Bulldogs clinch NEC Tournament berth: With an 81-73 win over Robert Morris and a CCSU loss to Saint Francis U., the Bulldogs clinched their fourth DI playoff appearance Thursday night, securing their spot in the 2017 NEC Tournament after missing a berth a season ago. Bryant has now made the postseason tournament in four of the last five years.

» Bulldogs helping Bulldogs: Sophomore sharpshooter Nisre Zouzoua proved he was more than a scorer Thursday night, dishing out a career- and game-high eight assists to go along with his 19 points.

» Home Sweet Home: Bryant topped Robert Morris at the Chace Athletic Center for the first time Thursday night in an 81-73 win. The Bulldogs had previously been 0-6 against the Colonials at home.

» Turn it down: Thursday's game marked the second time this season the Bulldogs turned the ball over more than 20 times (Gonzaga, 23). Bryant gave the ball up on 22 occasions and allowed RMU 23 points off turnovers.

» Start me up: All five Bryant starters scored in double digits for the first time this season in last Saturday's 80-69 home win over St. Francis Brooklyn.

» Defense wins games: The Bulldogs are a perfect 6-0 when holding opponents under 70 points this season.

HIGH OCTANE
The Bulldogs recorded shooting percentages of over 50 percent in back-to-back games for the first time this season, hitting the highest team shooting percentage of the year last Saturday against St. Francis Brooklyn (.533) before converting 26-of-51 (.510) Thursday night against Robert Morris. It marks the fourth and fifth times this season Bryant has finished a game shooting 50 percent or better, and the Black and Gold are 3-2 in those outings.

JUST ZOO IT
Sophomore Nisre Zouzoua is in the midst of a superb sophomore campaign with an impressive 20.0 points per game to lead the league and sit 38th nationally, while hitting 2.74 triples per game, most in the NEC. He has scored 21 points or more in 14 outings, including a career-high 31 points at Brown on Nov. 28, his second 30-point game of the year. He is one of multiple Bulldogs — and multiple Bulldog freshmen — who have made their mark on the NEC leaderboards, including top minute-getter Adam Grant and assist machine Ikenna Ndugba (see chart).

SNEAKY SNEAK
Zouzoua has not just been a force on the offensive end this season, as he has matched those efforts on the defensive side. He sits sixth in the league with 1.56 steals per game and recorded six steals against the Pioneers on Feb. 4, the most for a Bryant player in a single game at the Division I level and the fifth-most in program history.

FREE HOOPS
After playing three overtime games in the last six outings and five OT games already this season, the Bulldogs are among the nation's leaders when it comes to needing extra time to decide a victor. Bryant is one of just 11 Division I teams to have played at least five OT contests this season, and just three of those teams — Eastern Washington, Toledo and Indiana State — have participated in more (6). In the program's Division I era, Bryant has now played in 15 OT contests and is 5-10 in those battles.

THUNDER FROM DOWN UNDER
Junior swingman Bosko Kostur has reemerged as a consistent and constant threat for the Bulldogs as of late and has reached double figures on the scoreboard 11 times in his 14 contests since becoming a regular starter. After scoring no more than four points and playing no more than eight minutes over the first six games of the year, he has played 20+ minutes in all 14 starts since Jan. 5, averaging 13.9 points per game over the stretch. The Melbourne, Australia product is averaging 9.7 ppg on the year as a whole, shooting 50.6 percent from the floor and 42.9 percent from deep and posting a career-high 26 points Feb. 9 against LIU Brooklyn. He is putting up 12.1 ppg in conference play.

PERMISSION GRANTED
Freshman Adam Grant has played like a seasoned vet in his first collegiate campaign. He has netted double-digit points 19 times this season and is second on the team with 13.8 points per game to sit seventh in the NEC and first among league rookies. The 32 points he scored against Sacred Heart on Jan. 14 were the second-most by a Bryant rookie at the DI level, behind Alex Francis's ('14) 43 points on Feb. 24, 2011.

I THINK IKENNA
Rookie guard Ikenna Ndugba was on point when it came to shot selection against St. Francis Brooklyn last Saturday, going a perfect 4-for-4 from the field with a 2-for-2 mark from beyond the arc. The frosh also chipped in a game- and career-high four steals, adding in six boards and three helpers on the 12-point performance. Thursday night against the Colonials, Ndugba showcased his rebounding skills, leading the side with nine while dishing out four assists.

HOLD ME UNDER
The Bulldogs are 5-3 this season when holding an opponent to less than 40 percent from the floor and have done so in five of the last eight games (4-1). Since the start of the 2010-11 season, Bryant is 40-14 when limiting a team to a clip below .400 from the field.

I LOVE THE 80s
Thanks to Thursday night's 81-73 victory over Robert Morris, Bryant is now 2-4 this season when scoring 80 or more points. Prior to the 2016-17 campaign, the Bulldogs had never lost more than one game in any season at the Division I level when scoring 80+ points and hold a 32-6 record at the DI ranks when doing so. Two of this year's 80+ point performances came in overtime outings and all four of the losses came by three points or less.

TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT
The Bulldogs have played in some close games this year, and they are 3-8 in contests decided by five points or less. And while Bryant's 73-72 overtime win over Fairleigh Dickinson Jan. 28 marked just the eighth one-point game for the Bulldogs at the DI level (5-3), it was the third such game already this season (2-1).

TICKET TO RIDE
Single-game tickets are available for the 2016-17 Bryant University men's and women's basketball seasons. Fans can purchase tickets online at bryantbulldogs.com/tickets or by calling the Bryant Athletics Ticket Office at 401-319-TIXX.

NO TICKET, NO PROBLEM
Bryant University Athletics and the Northeast Conference are once again affiliated with the Pack Network and NEC Front Row, the home for all NEC men's and women's basketball broadcasts. NEC Front Row brings viewers an industry-leading
video streaming solution for more than 90 Bryant University home contests during the 2016-17 athletic seasons, including live, free-of-charge, high-definition broadcasts of all Bulldog home men's basketball games. Live event productions
include multiple camera angles, an on-screen scoreboard, state-of-the-art graphics and DVR functionality. Visit NECFrontRow.com for more information and a complete schedule of events.

ON TAP
Bryant travels to Staten Island for its final road game of the 2016-17 regular season, taking on Wagner Thursday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m.