Bulldogs win thriller over Mount, 79-77, Saturday afternoon

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Redshirt freshman Brandon Carroll (Brewster, N.Y.) scored 23 points, while sophomore classmates Ikenna Ndugba (Boston, Mass.) and Tanner Johnson (Lexington, Ky.) each added 17, as the Bryant University men's basketball team earned a thrilling 79-77 victory over Mount St. Mary's on Saturday afternoon at the Chace Athletic Center.

Bryant used a strong three-point shooting performance to build a seven-point halftime lead, led by as many as 18 in the second half and then held off a furious Mount rally to pick up the home victory. Ndugba's three from the left wing put Bryant up 18, 64-46, with 10:07 to go but it would be the last basket for the Bulldogs for over six minutes as the Mountaineers went on a 14-0 run. A three from Johnson with 3:46 left snapped the skid and the Black and Gold were able to make enough free throws down the stretch to hold on.

GAME INFORMATION
Bryant 79, Mount St. Mary's 77
Records: Bryant (3-24, 2-12 NEC), Mount St. Mary's (15-12, 9-5)
Location: Chace Athletic Center (Smithfield, R.I.)

KEY MOMENTS

• Sophomore Adam Grant (Franklin, Va.) and Carroll teamed up for one of the most electrifying plays of the season in the first half. Grant grabbed a carom on the defensive end and then sped up court. He then lofted a perfect alley-oop pass to Carroll who threw it down with two hands, giving Bryant a 10-point lead, 38-28.
• With Mount making a furious second-half comeback, Johnson hit two key three-pointers to help Bryant remain in front. He stopped a 14-0 Mount run with a corner three to make it 67-60 with 3:46 left. Then, after Junior Robinson made it 69-66 with 1:55 left, Johnson hit his fifth three of the game to push Bryant's lead back to six.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Bryant got off to a quick start, scoring the first eight points and holding Mount St. Mary's scoreless for nearly four minutes. Grant and Johnson both hit threes during the stretch.
• After senior Bosko Kostur (Melbourne, Australia) made it 25-17 with a three pointer, Mount answered with a 9-0 run to take its first lead, 26-25, with 6:53 left. Junior Robinson started the run with a three and Chris Wray then scored six-straight points to give the Mount the lead.
• Bryant answered the Mount run with back-to-back threes from Grant and Ndugba to make it 31-26 in favor of the Bulldogs.
• The Bulldogs made it a 10-point game, 38-28, with a quick 7-0 run late in the half. Carroll scored all seven points, converting a three-point play before capping the run with an emphatic alley-oop dunk.
• Five quick points from Robinson made it a five point game but Johnson converted a layup with 38 seconds left in the half to make it 40-33 Bulldogs after 20 minutes.
• Six points from Carroll and five from Johnson helped Bryant open a 14-point lead, 54-40, with 15:21 left in the second half.
• The Bulldogs' lead then jumped to a game-high 18, 64-46, as Ndugba hit a fall-away three from the left wing with 10:07 left.
• Mount's Jonah Antonio answered with a layup to jump start a 14-0 run for the Mountaineers over the next six minutes to make it 64-60 with 3:59 to play.
• Johnson ended the Mount run with a huge three from the corner, and then answered a Robinson three moments later with his fifth trifecta of the game to make it 72-66 with 1:28 left.
• Bryant was then able to make enough free throws down the stretch to hold on for the win. Mount made one last attempt as Wray heaved a one-handed shot while falling down that went off the front rim as the buzzer sounded.

STATS

• Bryant shot 51.9 percent (27-of-52) from the floor, 44.4 percent (12-of-27) from three and 72.2 percent (13-of-18) from the free throw line.
• The Bulldogs finished with 21 assists on 27 made baskets. Bryant also turned the ball over just 12 times.
• Carroll posted 20-plus points for the second-straight game, finishing with 23 and eight rebounds. He finished 9-of-11 from the field.
• Ndugba and Johnson each finished with 17 points. Ndugba added five assists, four rebounds and three steals, while Johnson hit five threes and added a career-high five assists.
• Grant posted 13 points, three rebounds and four assists.
• Senior Hunter Ware (Powder Springs, Ga.) enjoyed a strong all-around game as he grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds to go along with five points and five assists.
• Robinson finished with a game-high 30 for the Mount, going 8-of-17 from the field and 11-of-12 from the free throw line.
• The Mount shot 52 percent (26-for-50) from the field but just 37.5 percent (9-for-24)  from beyond the arc.  

GAME NOTES

• Bryant improves to 7-11 against Mount St. Mary's.
• Carroll was in double figures in scoring for the sixth time this year and had his second game of 20 or more points. The redshirt-freshman averaged 24.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game this week.
• Ndugba had 10 or more points for the 21st time this season while Johnson had his fifth game in double figures.
• Johnson is averaging 11.8 points per game in five starts this season. The sophomore added a career-high five assists.
• Ware had a career-high 11 rebounds and matched his career-best five assists.

UP NEXT
The Bulldogs head to western Pennsylvania next week to face Robert Morris and Saint Francis U. Bryant and Robert Morris will meet Thursday night at 7 p.m. at Duquesne University's A.J. Palumbo Center.