Bulldogs drop 73-69 decision to St. Francis Brooklyn; Townes scores game-high 23 points

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Sophomore Sabastian Townes (Chesapeake, Va.) scored a game-high 23 points, but a late lead slipped away and the Bryant University men's basketball team fell to St. Francis Brooklyn, 73-69, Thursday night at the Chace Athletic Center.

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 11^th 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 15^th 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.