CAN'T MISS CONTEST: Bulldogs host #11 Brown in 2015 Ocean State Cup title bout Tuesday night (7 p.m.)

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Just days after clinching its fifth-straight postseason berth, the Bryant University men's lacrosse team will face arguably its toughest test of the season in its home finale, welcoming intrastate rival and No. 11/10 Brown to the Bryant Turf Complex Tuesday night for the 2015 Ocean State Cup title match (7 p.m.).

The Bears (10-3) enter the Bulldog (6-8) regular-season finale off a decisive 15-6 win over then-No. 10 Cornell Saturday in Providence, marking their third victory of the season over a top-10 squad.

The nation's leading goal scorer and second-highest point getter, sophomore Dylan Molloy dominates the Brown offense, entering the contest with 79 points off an impressive 52 goals in 2015. The second-year Bear averages four scores per game this spring, the most in the country, and contributes 6.08 points per outing, second only to Albany's Lyle Thompson (6.54).

But teams who succeed in limiting Molloy will then have to deal with junior linemates Henry Blynn (34 goals, 46 points) and Kylor Bellistri (28g, 35p), as well as a starting midfield that averages 5.4 points per game on the back of 37 collective scores. Junior Brendan Caputo drives the line with 21 goals and 10 assists, while Nick Piroli has dished out 19 helpers on the year.

In total, the Bears' diverse offense have seen 21 players find the back of the net throughout the 2015 campaign, a characteristic that has driven the team to No. 3 national rankings in points (24.46), goals (15.08) and assists (9.38) per game.

But Brown is just as solid on defense, boasting a top-rated 10.38 caused turnovers per contest, as well as averaging the most ground balls in the nation at 41 each time out. Leading the way on those numbers is sophomore longpole Larken Kemp, who averages 2.25 forced miscues (second nationally) and gobbles up 5.33 ground balls (21st) per tilt.

Faceoff specialist Will Gural also ranks in the top-25 for ground balls, averaging five per game while ranking 11th at the X with a .599 success rate. He will face off against another one of the nation's best in Bryant senior captain Kevin Massa (Huntington, N.Y.), who enters the contest ranked fifth in winning percentage (.656) and third in ground balls per game (8.79).

Anchoring the Brown defense is junior Jack Kelly, who ranks 10th and 11th, respectively, in saves per game (11.85) and save percentage (.566), but falls to 32nd in goals against average, allowing 10.05 tallies to opposing offenses.

It will be up to a Bryant attack that has led the Black and Gold to four wins in the last five games to get by Kelly Tuesday night, while the Bulldogs' 13th-ranked defense will look to neutralize the Bears' high-powered offense.

Leading scorer Tucker James (Essex Fells, N.J.) will look to add to his 17-game goals scored and 23-game points scored streak in Tuesday's home finale and enters the contest with 28 tallies and 38 points. Junior linemate Shane Morrell (Glen Mills, Pa.) paces the side with 39 total points, scoring 23 times while dishing out a team-high 16 assists in 2015.

Midfielders Collins Gantz (Denver, Colo.) and Tom Kennedy (Farmingdale, N.Y.) represent Bryant's remaining 20-point scorers, with the former netting 14 goals with nine assists for 23 points. Kennedy boasts 13 assists on a stellar rookie season, while classmate and starting attack Cam Ziegler (Carlsbad, Calif.) has posted 13 scores on the year.

A solid close defense headlined by senior captain Connor Dent (Havertown, Pa.) (13 CT, 41 GB) will look to continue to hold opponents to single-digit goals, as the Black and Gold average just 8.12 goals allowed coming into the week.

But it will be the final line of defense – junior goalie Gunnar Waldt (Freeland, Md.) – that will be key against a potent Brown attack. The four-time Northeast Conference Defensive Player of the Week boasts a 10th-ranked .567 save percentage and 14th-ranked 8.21 goals against average this season while averaging 10.57 saves per game (20th) between the pipes.

Tuesday's game marks the sixth time the Bears and Bulldogs have met, with Brown holding a 4-2 all-time series edge. The winner of the contest, which can be seen live and free-of-charge on NECFrontRow.com, will claim the 2015 Ocean State Cup title.