Lin's scoring, Elisias' blocks power Monday win over Navy

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Freshman Benson Lin (New Taipei City, Taiwan) scored a career-high 19 points and redshirt-junior Hall Elisias (Valley Stream, N.Y.) racked up eight blocks, one shy of Bryant's D1 single-game record, to lead the Bryant University men's basketball team to a 60-45 win over Navy Monday night at the Chace Athletic Center.

Senior Adam Grant (Franklin, Va.) added 12 points to reach 1,500 for his collegiate career, becoming the third player to do so in Bryant's Division I era. Bryant's 45 points allowed were the third-fewest for the Bulldogs in a D1 game.

GAME INFORMATION
Bryant 60, Navy 45
Records: Bryant (5-4), Navy (4-4)
Location: Chace Athletic Center (Smithfield, R.I.)

KEY MOMENTS

• The Bulldogs closed the half on an 8-0 run with a Grant three at the buzzer giving Bryant a 32-24 halftime lead.
• Lin scored seven straight points thanks to a pair of three-pointers and a made free throw to turn an eight-point advantage into a 46-31 lead with 10 minutes to play. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Bryant trailed 5-4 before a 7-0 Bulldog run prompted a Navy timeout with 12:50 to go in the first half.
• Navy responded with an 8-0 run to take a 13-11 lead with 10:22 remaining in the half.
• A 7-0 Bryant run capped off by three free throws from Grant put the Bulldogs back in front at 22-20 with 3:53 to play in the half.
• The Bulldogs closed the half on an 8-0 run with a buzzer-beating three from Grant sending Bryant into the locker room with a 32-24 lead.
• Bryant scored seven straight from Lin with a pair of three-pointers and an and-one free throw, forcing a Navy timeout in a 46-31 game with 10:09 to play.
• Navy would come no closer than within 12 points the rest of the way as Bryant held the Midshipmen to 21 in the second half.

STATS

• Lin was 7-of-14 from the floor and 4-of-9 from three while adding three steals.
• Grant knocked down three shots from beyond the arc and added three rebounds and three assists.
• Elisias added eight rebounds to his eight blocks.
• Redshirt-junior Ikenna Ndugba (Boston, Mass.) chipped in with eight points and five rebounds.
• Bryant shot 43.8% for the game while holding Navy to 31.7%.
• The Bulldogs were outrebounded 39-34.

GAME NOTES

• Elisias' eight blocks ranked one shy of Papa Lo's nine at Long Island on Dec. 3, 2009.
• Bryant's eight blocks as a team – all by Elisias in the second half – were good for fifth in a single game in Bryant's D1 era.
• Grant recorded his 74^th career game of 10 or more points.
• Ndugba's two steals brought him to 112 for his career, good for third in Bryant's Division I era behind Grant (121) and Corey Maynard (116).
• The 45 points allowed were the third-fewest in a game in Bryant's Division I era and marked the first time the Bulldogs have held multiple opponents to 45 points or less in the same season.
• Bryant improves to 2-4 against Navy and 6-12 vs. the Patriot League.

UP NEXT
The Bulldogs play their final non-conference home contest of the regular season when Columbia visits the Chace Athletic Center Friday at 7 p.m. Tickets are available HERE and the game can be seen on NEC Front Row. 

Bryant Men's Basketball 2019-20 season tickets are available by clicking HERE.

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