Zouzoua scores career high in the Bulldogs’ 91-77 loss to the Knights, Thursday in Smithfield

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Trailing by just two points, 37-35, with five minutes to play in the first half, the Bryant University men's basketball team was on the wrong end of a 10-0 run to close out the frame, as Fairleigh Dickinson University led by as many as 17 in the second half to secure a 91-77 Northeast Conference win on Thursday night at the Chace Athletic Center.

Freshman guard Nisre Zouzoua (Brockton, Mass.) charted a career-high 25 points to lead the Bulldogs (7-19, 4-9 NEC) and all scorers, going 8-for-16 from the floor and 5-for-10 from beyond the arc. Junior forward Dan Garvin (Bethel, Conn.) tallied his fifth double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 boards, while sophomore Hunter Ware (Powder Springs, Ga.) netted 14 points.

All five Knights' (13-11, 9-4) starters scored in double-figures. Mike Holloway paced the visitors with 20 points on a 9-for-11 effort from the floor. Earl Potts Jr. posted 17 points going 7-of-10 from the field, as Darian Anderson and Stephan Jiggetts statted 15 and 16 points, respectively.

Bryant shot 48 percent from the floor (30-62), but canned just 33 percent of its shots from long range (8-24). Despite finishing at a .273 clip from distance (6-22), Fairleigh Dickinson connected on 54.7 percent of its shots from inside the arc (35-64), dominating the points in the paint total, 46-34.   

The Bulldogs held a 9-8 edge after a closely contested opening 3:37 of play, but the Knights went on a 9-0 run over the next 2:30 to take a 17-9 lead at the 13:53 mark. The Black and Gold would go on a 16-7 stretch over the next 4:43 to recapture its one-point advantage, 25-24, following a Ware layup that was set up by a quick no look pass from Garvin on the fast break.

A Holloway lay in on the ensuing Knights' possession gave them back the lead, 26-25, with 8:55 to go in the opening frame. The Bulldogs would not trail by more than four over the next four minutes, and actually took a 29-28 lead at the 7:38 mark thanks to a Marcel Pettway (North Providence, R.I.) layup.

A pair of Garvin free-throws brought the Bulldog deficit to just two points, 37-35, with 4:55 to play in the first half. FDU immediately responded with a 10-0 run to conclude the half, as five different Knights converted baskets to give the visitors a 47-35 halftime edge.

The Knights were able to extend their advantage to 17 points, 54-37, just over two minutes into the second stanza to give them their largest lead of the game at the 17:48 mark. A Pettway layup kickstarted a 9-2 Bulldog stretch over the next three minutes of action to bring them within 10 points, 56-46.

With the Black and Gold trailing, 58-46, at the 14:39 mark, Garvin came up with a baseline steal on the Bulldogs side of the floor. The junior found Zouzoua at the free throw line, who gave it right back with a beautiful bounce pass underneath the hoop, leading to a reverse layup for the forward. Garvin was fouled and converted the 3-point play at the line to bring the hosts within single digits, 58-49, with 14:19 to play in the second half.

A Ware jumper from the foul line extended capped off what was a 14-4 host run over a 4:22 span to bring the Bulldogs within seven points, 58-51. It was the closest that Bryant would get from that point on, as the two sides essentially traded baskets over the ensuing 9:30.

The Knights closed the game scoring 12 of the final 17 points in the contest to deliver the Bulldogs an eighth-straight defeat. Sitting in ninth place in the NEC with just five games remaining, the Black and Gold will look to get back into the postseason mix on Saturday as it hosts Wagner College at 4:00 p.m.