Colonials overpower Bulldogs, 69-40

COLONIALS STAY UNBEATEN AGAINST BULLDOGS IN 69-40 WIN

MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – The Bryant University men's basketball team could not overcome 25 turnovers, as Robert Morris used an early second-half scoring spurt to pull away from the Bulldogs in a 69-40 defeat on Thursday evening at the Sewall Center.

After drawing even midway through the first half, the Bulldogs (2-25, 1-14 Northeast Conference) had few answers against the Colonials (20-8, 11-4 NEC), who remain unbeaten in the all-time series against Bryant.

One game after being held to a season-low 46 points in a home loss against Sacred Heart, the Bulldogs were once again stymied on the offensive end of the court, as their 40-point outing marked another season low in the scoring department.

A bright spot for the Bulldogs came in the form of junior Frankie Dobbs (Berea, Ohio), who led the visitors with 11 points, while sophomore Alex Francis (Harlem, N.Y.) represented the lone other double-digit scorer with 10 points and a team-high six rebounds.

Three different players finished in double figures for the Colonials, as Velton Jones paced the home side with a game-high 19 points to compliment a 9-of-11 clip from the free throw line. Lijah Thompson chipped in 13 points while hauling down a game-high seven boards, and Lawrence Bridges went 4-for-6 from the field to the tune of 10 points and six rebounds.

Limited to just 38 shot attempts in the game, the Bulldogs finished 12-of-38 (.316) from the field while going a lowly 4-of-17 (.235) from the outside. RMU dropped 24-of-60 (.400) from the field despite making just 2-of-18 (.111) of its chances from long range.

But the story of the game was turnovers, as the Colonials capitalized on the majority of Bryant's giveaways while finishing the evening with a 26-7 advantage in points off turnovers. And despite totaling just eight more rebounds (40-32) than Bryant, the Colonials were dominant down low by means of their 42-8 edge in points scored in the paint.

After falling behind by five in the opening minutes of the first half, the Bulldogs battled back on the shoulders of junior Erick Smith (Bel Air, Md.), who reeled off consecutive baskets on back-to-back full-court layups to the tie match at 10-10 at the midway point of the frame.

The Colonials managed to pull away as the half progressed, outscoring the Bulldogs by a 21-9 margin the rest of the way. Thompson led all players with a half-high nine points, while Francis and Smith chipped in six points apiece to lead the visitors.

Both sides logged shooting percentages in the 30s, as the Bulldogs finished with a slightly better 38.9 percent (7-18) from the field compared to 36.7 percent (11-30) for the Colonials. Turnovers, however, plagued the visitors, as Bryant amassed 16 giveaways compared to RMU's four.

The Bulldogs dominated the rejection department by garnering six swats in the first frame, while the Colonials totaled 11 steals versus just three for the Black and Gold. Both squads hauled down 16 boards in the first half.

RMU wasted no time taking command coming out of the break, as the home side ripped off seven straight points to start the second half to force a Bryant timeout at the 17:38 mark with the visitors trailing by a 38-19 margin.

From that point on, the Colonials continued to build on their lead, compiling as large as a 34-point advantage before the buzzer sounded. 

For continuing coverage of Bryant University men's basketball, check back online at www.bryantbulldogs.com; also follow the Bulldogs on Twitter @BryantAthletics.