Bryant takes Pitt to wire before falling in final seconds, 72-67, Monday on road

PITTSBURGH – Behind a career-high 24 points from sophomore forward Dan Garvin (Bethel, Conn.) and the first career double-double from junior point guard Shane McLaughlin (Old Tappan, N.J.), the Bryant University men's basketball team kept Pitt on the ropes for the full 40 minutes before falling in the final seconds, 72-67, Monday night at the Petersen Events Center.

The Bulldogs (10-11) led for 22 minutes in their third game of the last five days and never let the Panthers (15-8) – who were on top for just 13:46 of the contest – lead by more than eight points. Bryant outshot its host, posting an impressive 51 percent clip from the floor (26-51) while converting 42.9 percent from beyond the arc (6-14). The Black and Gold trailed on the glass by just a single rebound, 30-29.

McLaughlin paced the team on the glass with a career-high eight boards, falling just two shy of the elusive triple-double after scoring 10 points while dishing out a career-best 10 helpers. Garvin's career-high 24 points – his third personal best in the last four games – came off 10-of-16 shooting, while senior guard Dyami Starks (Duluth, Minn.) added 17 points, including a trio of 3-pointers.

The Bulldogs were without starting guard Joe O'Shea (Burlington, Vt.) due to injury, but got nine points out of starter Bosko Kostur (Melbourne, Australia) and two points and four rebounds from replacement Andrew Scocca (Melrose, Mass.).

Pitt shot 45.8 percent in the game and was led by 32 points from Jamel Artis, who won the game for the Panthers with 22 second-half points. Leading scorer Michael Young was limited to 10 points but pulled in a game-high 11 rebounds, while Cameron Wright and Josh Newkirk each chipped in 11 points in the win.

The Bulldogs jumped out to an early one-point lead after a converted McLaughlin three-point play, and back-to-back Starks treys handed the visitors an 11-6 advantage four minutes into the opening half.

After a Kostur layup, Starks was right back at it from long range, nailing his third of the day, and Kostur would make Bryant 4-for-5 from long distance less than a minute later to put the Bulldogs on top, 19-13, seven minutes into the contest.

Rookie guard Hunter Ware (Powder Springs, Ga.) gave the visitors a 25-19 lead at the 8:15 mark just seconds after entering the contest, but it would be the last Bryant score for more than four minutes, as Pitt scored 13-straight points during a 19-6 run over 7:44 to take over the 32-25 advantage.

But Bryant would answer with a streak of its own, scoring seven straight as part of an 11-2 run to close out the half and take back a two-point edge, 36-34, heading into the break. Garvin would score nine of those 11 points, with McLaughlin adding a jumper for the intermission edge.

Starks and Scocca started the second half off with back-to-back baskets for a 40-34 advantage, but it wouldn't last long, as four-consecutive Artis jumpers tied the score at 43-43 five minutes into the stanza.

Three-straight Panther triples gave Pitt its biggest lead of the day, 52-44, with 12:36 remaining, but the Bulldogs would respond once again, ripping off a 13-1 run highlighted by a Garvin and-one dunk and a 3-pointer by Ware from the sideline to reclaim an edge, 57-53, with 7:21 to play.

Garvin's second dunk of the game with four minutes left put Bryant ahead, 64-61, but Newkirk tied the contest for the seventh time with his third three of the night seconds later. The score remained knotted (eighth tie) entering the final three minutes, and the Panthers held just a one-point, 68-67 lead with possession entering the final 30 seconds of the contest.

But with 16.8 ticks showing on the clock, Wright would hit a dagger for the Panthers, sending the home side up by three, 70-67. Starks would bring the ball up the court and go for the tie from the top of the arc, but the shot would find rim, bouncing out with just three seconds to play to seal Pittsburgh's eventual 72-67 victory.

After spending nearly a week in western Pennsylvania, the Bulldogs will now return home and return to Northeast Conference play for a Thursday night battle against reigning league champ Mount St. Mary's live on ESPNU. The tilt will tip off at 7:00 p.m. from the Chace Athletic Center.