SMITHFIELD, RI - Pierre Downing scored 21 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead Merrimack College to a 90-68 Northeast-10 Conference victory over Bryant University here Tuesday at the Chace Athletic Center. The win snaps a three-game losing skid for the Warriors as they improve to 9-5 overall, 5-4 in the NE-10. Bryant (7-6, 3-6 NE-10) drops its third-straight despite getting a game-high 28 points from guard John Williams (Springfield, Mass.).
Bryant led by as much as five early (13-8) after a layup by Nathaniel Sudlow (Bronx, N.Y.) however the Warriors broke a 21-21 tie on a three-pointer from Bobby Murgo (Watertown, Mass.) with 8:53 left in the first half and Merrimack would never look back.
Leading the hosts 35-28, Merrimack used a 13-0 run midway through the second half to race out to a commanding 57-36 lead with 10:31 remaining. Bryant was ice-cold from the field during the stretch, going without a field goal for a span of seven minutes, 12 seconds before John Williams hit a layup with 10:29 left to make it 57-38.
Bryant shot a dismal 37.5 percent from the floor and were 7-for-28 from three-point range (25.0 percent). Merrimack, which shot 53.6 percent from the floor in the game, made 10 of 13 three-point attempts and out-rebounded Bryant 42 to 36. Basil Wajd came off the bench to score 22 points to lead the Warriors while Kenny Jones added 13.
Bryant will return to action this Saturday, hosting Assumption College at the Chace Athletic Center (3:30 p.m.). Merrimack will host Saint Anselm this Saturday in Andover, Mass (3:30 p.m.).