Bryant knocks off UMass behind 33 from Green III

AMHERST, Mass. – Sophomore Michael Green III scored a career-high 33 points as the Bryant University men's basketball team improved to 7-2 on the year with a 93-88 victory over the University of Massachusetts on Monday afternoon.

Green III broke an 84-84 tie as he knifed to the basket and finished off the glass with 1:03 left in the game. The Bulldogs then made 7-of-8 free throws to close out the game and are off to their best start in DI program history. Green III finished with 33 points on 12-of-16 shooting from the field.

Redshirt senior Peter Kiss posted 21 points, sophomore Charles Pride recorded a double-double with 11 points and 12 boards and junior Chris Childs had 14 points for the Black and Gold. Redshirt senior Hall Elisias added six points, nine boards and six blocks, while redshirt junior Luis Hurtado Jr. had eight points, five boards and five assists.

Bryant has now beaten an A-10 opponent in back-to-back seasons. The Bulldogs down Fordham, 69-61, last season.    

Game Information
Bryant 93, Massachusetts 88
Records: Bryant 7-2 | UMass 2-2
Location: Mullins Center

Key Moments

• Green III hit back-to-back threes to highlight an 11-0 run that gave the Black and Gold a 17-point lead with 15:59 to play.
• After UMass battled back to the tie the game on a three with 2:09 left, Green III found his way to the rim to break the tie.    

How it Happened

• Bryant used sizzling first-half shooting to build a pair of 10-point leads.
• The Bulldogs pushed the tempo early as Kiss scored on a layup before turning a turnover into a transition jumper. Green III followed with a transition three to make it 15-7 with 15:40 to go.
• Bryant built its first 10-point lead with a 9-2 run at the 14-minute mark. Pride posted a pair of buckets and Green III capped it with a three to make it 24-14.
• UMass cut the deficit back to two but Pride answered with five-straight points, including a trifecta, to make it 31-24.
• Bryant pushed it back to 10 thanks to a torrid stretch from Green III. He raced down the court in transition before grabbing an Elisias block and completing a three-point play on the other end, making it 48-38 with 10 seconds to go.
• The Bulldogs opened the second half on fire as well, using an 11-0 run to open a 17-point lead, 59-42. Green III scored nine of the 11 points, including back-to-back threes.
• Bryant's lead remained in double figures until UMass made it a 6-point game with 7:07 left. Green III made a layup to push it back to nine with 6:04 to go but the Bulldogs wouldn't make a field goal until the final minute.
• Five free throws from Kiss kept UMass at bey but the Minutemen were able to tie the game on a three from TJ Weeks with 2:09 left.
• UMass then had a chance to take the lead but a missed jumper resulted in a transition opportunity for the Black and Gold. Green III converted, slicing to the hoop to make it 86-84.
• Green III then intercepted a pass on the ensuing possession and was able to convert two free throws. Bryant would finish the game 7-of-8 from the line to close it out.   

Stats

• Bryant finished the game 32-of-55 (58 percent) from the field, 9-of-21 (43 percent) from three and 20-of-26 (77 percent) from the line.
• The Black and Gold shot 69 percent in the first half.
• The Bulldogs outrebounded the Minutemen, 35-31.
• Bryant also held the advantage in points in the paint, 38-28.
• Green III finished with 33 points on 12-of-16 shooting from the field. He was 4-of-7 from three and 5-of-8 from the line. Green III also posted five boards.
• Kiss had 21 points (7-of-12), four assists and three boards.
• Childs posted 14 points on 3-of-8 shooting from three.
• Pride finished with a double-double, posting 11 points and 12 boards. He added four assists.
• Hurtado Jr. had eight points, five boards, five assists and just two turnovers in 26 minutes.
• Elisias finished with six points, nine boards and six blocks.

Game Notes

• Bryant is off to its best start in DI program history at 7-2.
• Bryant is 2-0 in games played on NESN. Both games have been played on Dec. 21.
• The Bulldogs have now scored 80+ points in eight of their nine games this season.
• They've scored 90+ points in five games.
• Bryant shot a season-high 58 percent from the field.
• Green III becomes the first Bulldog since Adam Grant (Feb. 2019) to score 30+ points in a single game. His 33 points are the most since SaBastian Townes scored 34 against Hartford on Dec. 12, 2018.
• His 33 points are the sixth-most in a single game in DI program history.
• Green III now has scored 20+ points in back-to-back games and has four 20-point games this year.
• Kiss has now scored in double-figures eight times and has six 20-point games. He's scored 20+ points in three-straight games and in four his last five.
• Kiss and Green III have each scored 20 points in the same game for the third time this year.
• Pride has scored in double-figures in eight-of-nine games this year.
• Pride posted his second double-double of the year and the third of his career.
• Childs has scored in double-figures in all nine games this year.  
• Elisias has now blocked 15 shots over the last three games. He has 30 blocks on the year.
• Elisias now has 108 career blocks, second-most in DI program history.

Up Next

Bryant is now off until it hosts Central Connecticut at the Chace Athletic Center on Jan. 7 and Jan. 8.