Photo by DSPics.com
Photo by DSPics.com

Bryant opens Pennsylvania trip Thursday at Robert Morris

MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. The Bryant University men's basketball team opens its annual NEC trip to Pennsylvania Thursday when the Bulldogs square off with Robert Morris.

Thursday's game at Robert Morris is being played at the North Athletic Complex and is sold out; single-game tickets are not available to the general public.

The Particulars
Opponent:
Robert Morris
Location: North Athletic Complex – Moon Township, Pa.
Date and Time: Thursday, Feb. 7 – 7 p.m.
Watch:
NEC Front Row (Chris Shovlin, Jim Elias)
Live Stats: Sidearm Stats
Game Notes:
Bryant
Social Media: FacebookTwitter | Instagram | #12Seven4 | #NECMBB 

SCOUTING THE COLONIALS
Robert Morris is 12-11 overall on the year and leads the NEC at 7-3. The Colonials were defeated at home by Saint Francis U last Thursday before a double-overtime loss at Fairleigh Dickinson Saturday. 

Josh Williams leads RMU in scoring at 15.1 points per game, while Jon Williams ranks fourth in the NEC at 4.4 assists per game and Matty McConnell leads the league with 1.8 steals per game. The Colonials have allowed a conference-low 68.0 points per game this season.

THE SERIES
Bryant is 4-15 all-time against Robert Morris with the Colonials having won the last three meetings. Three of Bryant's four victories in the series came at the Sewall Center, which was demolished to make room for a new arena opening in 2019-20. 

Junior Adam Grant (Franklin, Va.) scored 17 points and senior Taylor McHugh (Centreville, Va.) matched his career-high with 12 in the teams' matchup in Smithfield Jan. 19, a game won 79-65 by Robert Morris.

LAST TIME OUT: CENTRAL CONNECTICUT 64, BRYANT 59
Bryant used a 14-1 run to take a seven-point lead into halftime and pushed its lead to 13 in the second half, but Central Connecticut stormed back for a 64-59 win over the Bulldogs Saturday in New Britain. 

THURSDAYS ARE MUST-SEE
Bryant has won its first four Thursday games of the year, defeating St. Francis Brooklyn, Mount St. Mary's, Central Connecticut and Wagner. 

SPEED LIMIT 70
Bryant is 8-1 this season when it holds its opponents under 70 points. The Bulldogs are 7-3 when they keep the game under 70 total possessions. 

THAT'S GONNA BE A NO FROM THIS DAWG
Junior Juan Cardenas (Medellin, Colombia) leads Bryant with 34 blocks on the year, good for second in the NEC. Cardenas ranks sixth in Bryant's Division I era in career blocks through just 20 games played.

HAWK HEATING UP
Redshirt-senior Byron Hawkins (Fort Washington, Md.) has scored 13 or more points in each of his last five games, averaging 15.6 points per game during that stretch. 

FRESHMAN GLASS
Freshman Patrick Harding (Fairfield, Conn.) leads all freshmen nationally in KenPom's defensive rebounding percentage. Harding has grabbed 29.1 percent of available defensive rebounds when on the floor, which ranks 12th nationally. 

JUMP AROUND
Bryant's road game against Robert Morris will be hosted in a third different venue in the last three years. The Bulldogs defeated the Colonials in the final year of the Sewall Center in 2017, while Bryant fell to RMU last season at Duquesne's AJ Palumbo Center. The teams meet Thursday at the North Athletic Complex as Robert Morris awaits completion of the UPMC Events Center for next season. 

UP NEXT: SAINT FRANCIS U
Bryant closes out a four-game road stretch Saturday night at Saint Francis U. The 7 p.m. tip in Loretto can be seen on NEC Front Row. 

Tickets for home games at the Chace Athletic Center are available by clicking HERE or calling (401) 319-TIXX. Bryant is back home Thursday, Feb. 14, when the Bulldogs host Sacred Heart.

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