Townes posts double-double in win over Saint Peter's

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Junior SaBastian Townes (Chesapeake, Va.) recorded his first career double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds, while junior Adam Grant (Franklin, Va.) added a season-high 18 points, as the Bryant University men's basketball team picked up its first win of the year in a 71-63 victory over Saint Peter's Wednesday night.

Townes scored 12 of his 18 points in the second half and collected a career-high rebounding total while making a pair three-pointers. Grant was 4-of-9 from beyond the arc.

GAME INFORMATION
Bryant 71, Saint Peter's 63
Records: Bryant (1-2), Saint Peter's (1-2)
Location: Chace Athletic Center (Smithfield, R.I.) 

KEY MOMENT

• The game was tied at 38 before a 12-3 Bryant run with three-pointers from redshirt-senior Byron Hawkins (Fort Washington, Md.), Grant and Townes put the Bulldogs ahead 50-41 and forced a Peacock timeout with 13:41 to go.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The game was tied at 17 before a 10-2 Bryant run put the Bulldogs ahead 27-19 with 6:11 to go in the half on a layup from redshirt-sophomore Brandon Carroll (Bronx, N.Y.).
• Saint Peter's responded with an 11-0 run to go up 30-27 with 3:27 to go in the half. Bryant got four points from Townes in the final three minutes of the half and went into the locker room down 32-31.
• A three-pointer from Hawkins put the Bulldogs ahead 41-38 at the first media timeout of the second half, kickstarting a 12-3 run with threes from Hawkins, Grant and Townes to force a Saint Peter's timeout with 13:41 to play.
• Saint Peter's cut the Bryant lead to five at 59-54, but the Bulldogs answered with three-pointers from Townes and Grant to push the lead back to nine at 65-56 with 6:52 to go.
• Bryant would push the lead to 10 on a pair of Grant free throws and close out the victory from the charity stripe.

STATS

• Townes scored 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting and 2-of-4 from beyond the arc while adding a career-high 10 rebounds.
• Grant was 6-of-13 from the floor and 4-of-9 from three for 18 points. The junior also collected a season-high five assists.
• Redshirt-sophomore Brandon Carroll (Bronx, N.Y.) scored a season-high 13 points with 10 coming in the first half.
• Hawkins was in double figures for the third consecutive game to open his time at Bryant, tallying 11 points.
• Freshman Patrick Harding (Fairfield, Conn.) grabbed nine rebounds.
• Bryant shot 43.9 percent from the floor and 40.6 percent from three. Saint Peter's was at 46 percent overall and 41.2 percent from beyond the arc.
• The Bulldogs outrebounded the Peacocks, 34-32.

GAME NOTES

• Grant was in double figures in scoring for the second time this season and 44^th in his career.
• Townes tallied his 22^nd career game of 10 or more points, while Carroll reached double digits for the sixth time in his career.
• Harding is averaging 8.3 rebounds through his first three games in Black and Gold.
• Grant passed Bosko Kostur and Cecil Gresham and moved into a tie with Dan Garvin for sixth in Bryant's Division I era in scoring with 895 career points. The junior guard also passed Dyami Starks for eighth in the D1 era in assists with 159.
• Townes hit two three-pointers in a game for the second time in his career, matching his output against New Hampshire in 2016.
• Bryant improves to 1-0 all-time against Saint Peter's.
• The victory was the first at Bryant for head coach Jared Grasso. Grasso's first official career victory came while as the interim coach at Fordham, when the Rams defeated Stony Brook, Dec. 8, 2009.

UP NEXT
Bryant travels to Annapolis, Maryland, for a Sunday afternoon contest at Navy. The 2 p.m. tip can be seen on the Patriot League Network.

Season and single-game tickets for home games at the Chace Athletic Center are available by clicking HERE or calling (401) 319-TIXX.

Follow Bryant University men's basketball on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get an inside look at the program.