Bryant treks to Emmitsburg for Saturday clash with Mount
EMMITSBURG, Md. – The Bryant University men's basketball team begins a three-game stretch away from Smithfield when the Bulldogs face Mount St. Mary's Saturday evening.
Bryant looks to surpass last year's win total in the 20th game of the season and string together back-to-back victories after Thursday's 21-point triumph over Wagner.
The Particulars
Opponent: Mount St. Mary's
Location: Knott Arena (Emmitsburg, Md.)
Date and Time: Saturday, January 25 – 5 p.m.
Watch: NEC Front Row (Adam Pohl)
Live Stats: Presto Stats
Game Notes: Bryant
Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | #12Seven4 | #NECMBB
SCOUTING THE MOUNTAINEERS
Mount St. Mary's is 8-11 on the year and 4-2 in the NEC, having won its last three league games with victories over Bryant, Central Connecticut and St. Francis Brooklyn. The Mountaineers had an open date Thursday.
Four Mountaineers are averaging 10 or more points per game, led by 11.9 from Damian Chong Qui. Malik Jefferson has added a team-high 7.9 rebounds per game to his 10.4 points per contest.
THE SERIES
The Bulldogs and Mountaineers are meeting for the 24th time overall and the 22nd Division I contest. Bryant is looking for back-to-back wins in Emmitsburg for the first time in program history.
Bryant had won three straight meetings between the teams prior to Mount's 67-65 victory at the Chace Jan. 11. Senior Adam Grant (Franklin, Va.) scored a game-high 17 points, but a bid for a buzzer-beating three did not fall for the Bulldog guard.
LAST TIME OUT: BRYANT 79, WAGNER 58
Bryant erupted for 53 points in the second half, with 15 of the points after the intermission coming from freshman Michael Green III (Bronx, N.Y.), to pull away from Wagner Thursday night at the Chace. Senior Adam Grant led all scorers with 21 points.
SO FRESH(MEN), SO CLEAN
Bryant's rookie trio of Green, Benson Lin (New Taipei City, Taiwan) and Charles Pride (Syracuse, N.Y.) rank second, third and fifth on the team in scoring and have combined for 26 games of 10+ points and five NEC Rookies of the Week.
50-50 BALL
Bryant's 53 second-half points in Thursday's win over Wagner marked the first time the Bulldogs scored 50 points in a half against a Division I opponent this season and the first occurrence since Bryant scored 50+ points in three out of four halves on the weekend of Feb. 14-16, 2019.
THREE D
Bryant has held its opponents to 28.8% from three this season - the best mark in the NEC and 24th nationally. The perimeter defense has helped the Bulldogs to a 45.3% effective field goal defense against D1 opponents, which leads the league and ranks 38th in the nation.
MR. NICE WATCH
Grant was named to the Lou Henson Award Midseason Watch List Jan. 9. Grant ranks second in the NEC and 67th nationally at 18.2 points per game, has made 69 three-pointers on the year (good for sixth nationally), and has collected 20 or more points 11 times this season including games against Big Ten members Rutgers and Maryland. The Lou Henson Award is given to the nation's top mid-major player.
Grant enters Saturday 28 points back of Dyami Starks for second on Bryant's D1 scoring list and eight three-pointers shy of Starks' Division I career program record of 281.
HALL IN, BALL OUT
Redshirt-junior Hall Elisias (Valley Stream, N.Y.) leads the NEC in blocks per game (3.0) and ranks 16th in rebounding (5.6). Elisias has recorded four of Bryant's top six single-game block totals in his first 16 games as a Bulldog with eight vs. Navy and six against Rutgers, Columbia and Dartmouth. Elisias has blocked 19.9% of opponents' two-point attempts while on the floor this season, which leads the nation.
The 51 total blocks for Elisias this year rank second in a single season in Bryant's Division I era, fifth in D1 career history, and 15th nationally.
BENSON BUCKETS
Lin is averaging 12.1 points per game since the start of December while shooting 40% during those 11 games. The Bulldogs are 8-2 this season when Lin scores at least 10 points.
Lin earned his third NEC Rookie of the Week Monday - the most among all players in the conference this season.
UP NEXT: ROBERT MORRIS
Bryant begins its annual trip to Western Pennsylvania when the Bulldogs face Robert Morris Thursday at the new UPMC Events Center in Moon Township. Opening tip is slated for 7 p.m.
Bryant Men's Basketball tickets are available by clicking HERE.
Follow Bryant University men's basketball on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get an inside look at the program.