Bryant held off by Wagner, 71-62; Grant leads Bulldogs with 23 points

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Sophomore Adam Grant (Franklin, Va.) had a team-high 23 points, but Wagner jumped out to an early lead and held off a Bryant comeback bid in the Seahawks' 71-62 victory over the Bryant University men's basketball team Thursday at the Chace Athletic Center.

Sophomore Sabastian Townes (Chesapeake, Va.) added 10 points for the Bulldogs, who got 40 points from their sophomore class.

GAME INFORMATION
Wagner 71, Bryant 62
Records: Bryant (2-16, 1-4), Wagner (11-5, 4-1)
Location: Chace Athletic Center (Smithfield, R.I.)

KEY MOMENTS

• Wagner used a 20-6 run in the first half to build a 15-point lead at 28-13 with 4:17 to go in the first half.
• Bryant went on a 10-3 run to cut its deficit to 47-44 with 9:32 remaining on the game after a shot by senior Hunter Ware (Powder Springs, Ga.).
• Six straight points from Wagner's Blake Francis pushed the Seahawk advantage back to double digits at 58-48 with 5:29 to go. The Bulldogs would pull to close as five before the Seahawks closed out the game from the free throw line.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Bryant was within 8-5 before an 11-2 Wagner run pushed the Seahawk lead to 19-7 with 10:28 remaining in the half.
• The Bulldogs pulled to within 19-11 before a 9-2 Wagner run extended the Seahawk cushion to 28-13 with 4:17 to go in the half.
• Grant's three-pointer just shy of the halftime buzzer cut the deficit to 34-25 heading to the locker room. Grant had 10 first-half points.
• Bryant scored five points to open the half, cutting the Wagner lead to 34-30. The Bulldogs trailed 40-34 before the Seahawks pushed the lead back to 10.
• The Bulldogs would bring it to within three on Ware's jumper in the lane at 47-44 with 9:32 to go.
• Wagner increased the lead back to 10 at 58-48 with 5:29 to go before Grant quickly answered with a three.
• The Bulldogs pulled within five at 65-60 before the Seahawks closed out the game from the line.

STATS

• Grant tallied 23 points on 7-of-16 shooting with three three-pointers.
• Townes recorded 10 points, while Ware and senior Bosko Kostur (Melbourne, Australia) added nine each.
• Ware grabbed seven rebounds, while Kostur had six.
• Sophomore Ikenna Ndugba (Boston, Mass.) scored seven points and added four rebounds, three steals and a block.
• Bryant shot 37.3 percent from the floor, while Wagner was 42.4 percent overall and 50 percent from three (11-for-22).
• Wagner outrebounded Bryant, 40-36.

GAME NOTES

• Bryant falls to 5-10 all-time against Wagner.
• Ware's nine points and seven rebounds were season highs.
• Kostur's six rebounds moved him past Shane McLaughlin (2012-16) for seventh in Bryant's Division I era in rebounds with 318.
• Grant had 20 or more points for the third-straight game, sixth time this season and 10th time in his collegiate career. The sophomore was in double figures in scoring for the 11th time on the year and 32nd time in his career.
• Townes had 10-plus points for the 11th time this season and 19th in his career.
• The Bryant sophomore class – Grant, Ndugba, Townes and Tanner Johnson (Lexington, Ky.) – is responsible of 56.2 percent of the Bulldogs' scoring this season.
• The starting lineup combination – Ndugba, Grant, Ware, Urmilevicius and Townes – was the 12^th different starting five this season, which is tied with FGCU for the most in the nation.

UP NEXT
Bryant travels to New Britain Saturday for a 3:30 p.m. tip at Central Connecticut. The game can be seen on NEC Front Row, while Jon Wallach and Cam Boon will have the call on WOON 1240 AM.

Tickets for the 2017-18 Bryant University men's basketball season are available by clicking HERE or calling (401) 319-TIXX. 

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