Kiss, Pride combine for 48 as Bryant downs CCSU in NEC Quarters

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The top-seeded Bryant University men's basketball defeated ninth-seeded Central Connecticut 73-59 in the quarterfinals of the 2022 Northeast Conference Tournament in front of a sold out Chace Athletic Center on Wednesday night.

With the win, Bryant improves to a 20-9 overall, it's most wins in DI program history. The No. 1 seed Bulldogs will move on to the NEC Semifinals to face No. 4 Mount St. Marys in Smithfield, R.I. on Saturday at 6 pm.

Peter Kiss and Charles Pride, the nation's highest-scoring duo, each scored 24 points to lead the Black and Gold. Kiss had 24 points, six rebounds and five assists, while Pride had 24 points, eight rebounds and three steals. Greg Calixte chipped in 11 points and nine boards.  

Game Information
Bryant 73, Central Connecticut 59
Records: Bryant 20-9 | Central Connecticut 8-24
Location: Chace Athletic Center (Smithfield, R.I.)
Attendance: 2,650

Key Moments

• Pride grabbed his own missed three and converted a tough layup plus a foul, giving the Bulldogs a 63-50 lead with 3:50 to play in the game.

How it Happened

• Charles Pride woke up the Chace early on Wednesday, hitting a trifecta from the left wing to open the scoring.
• Kiss then scored 10-straight points for the Bulldogs to make it a 13-2 lead with 15:04 to go in the first half.
• Adham Eleeda and Pride then each hit threes to help push the lead to 14.
• A Calixte layup made it 27-11 with 7:19 to go but the Blue Devils answered with an 11-0 run to make it 27-22 with 3:45 to go.
• A late three from Trenton McLaughlin would make it a five-point game at the half (34-29).
• CCSU cut the deficit to three at the start of the second half but Eleeda hit a transition three to help fight off the rally.
• Pride then hit a turnaround in the lane to make it 49-38 with 9:10 remaining.
• A three-point play from Kiss made it a 14-point game with 7:12 left.
• CCSU cut the deficit to 10 but Pride answered with a huge offensive putback and three-point play to push the Bryant lead back to 13.
• Calixte helped close it out, scoring seven of his 11 points over the final three minutes.

Stats

• Bryant finished 29-of-59 (49.2 percent) from the field, 7-of-24 (29.2 percent) from three and 8-of-11 (72.7 percent) from the line.
• The Bulldogs outrebound CCSU, 40-37.
• Bryant scored 44 points in the paint.
• Kiss scored 24 points and added six rebounds and five assists.
• Pride scored 24 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the field. He added eight rebounds, two assists and three steals.
• Calixte finished with 11 points, nine boards and three blocks.
• Eleeda chipped in eight points and four rebounds.       

Game Notes

• Bryant's 20 wins are the most in DI program history. It is the first 20-win season for the Bulldogs since 2006-07.
• Bryant was hosting an NEC Quartefinal for the first time since 2015.
• Bryant is now 12-1 at home this year. The Bulldogs are 22-2 at home the last two years.
• The announced crowd of 2,650 was a sellout. It is the second-straight game the Chace has sold out.
• Kiss posted his 43rd double-figure scoring game in 46 outings as a Bulldog.
• Kiss has scored 20+ points 17 times this year and has 20+ points in 14 of his 16 NEC games.
• Kiss leads the nation in scoring with 25.1 points per game.
• Kiss now has 602 points this season, the second-most in a single season in DI program history.
• Pride scored in double figures for the 52nd time in his career.
• Pride now has 240 rebounds this season, the fifth-most in DI program history.
• Eleeda now has 89 threes on the year.
• Kiss and Pride continue to be the nation's highest-scoring duo, averaging 43.1 points per game.    

Up Next
Bryant will welcome Mount St. Mary's to the Chace Athletic Center on Saturday night in a rematch of last year's NEC Championship. Tip is set for 6:00 p.m.