Harding grabs record 19 rebounds as Bryant downs Cornell

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Senior Adam Grant (Franklin, Va.) scored a season-best 24 points, freshman Benson Lin (New Taipei City, Taiwan) added a career-high 16 and sophomore Patrick Harding (Fairfield, Conn.) grabbed a Division I single-game program record 19 rebounds as the Bryant University men's basketball team defeated Cornell, 82-81, Sunday at the Chace Athletic Center.

Harding's 19 rebounds surpassed Dan Garvin's 18 in 2015 for Bryant's single-game record in the Division I era. The sophomore is averaging 11.7 rebounds per game through his first three games of the year. Grant's 24-point performance was his third of 20 or more to begin the season.

GAME INFORMATION
Bryant 82, Cornell 81
Records: Bryant (1-2), Cornell (1-1)
Location: Chace Athletic Center (Smithfield, R.I.)

KEY MOMENTS

• A 22-4 Bryant run turned a 28-20 deficit into a 10-point lead with two minutes remaining in the first half.
• An 11-2 stretch gave the Bulldogs a 65-56 advantage with 9:10 to go.
• A bizarre final three seconds of the game included a made three by Cornell, a flagrant foul on the Big Red and an inbound off the ceiling before Bryant defended a three-point attempt by Cornell and held on at the buzzer.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Bryant opened the game with a 7-2 run courtesy of four points from freshman Michael Green III (Bronx, N.Y.) and three from redshirt-junior Ikenna Ndugba (Boston, Mass.).
• Cornell scored the next 10 before Grant knocked down a three to get Bryant within 12-10 with 13:50 remaining in the opening half.
• The Big Red tallied six straight before a 22-4 Bulldog run powered Bryant to a 42-32 lead with 2:12 before halftime. Bryant led 42-34 at the half.
• Cornell would tie the game at 49 with 14:10 to play and the teams would be even again at 54 on a Big Red three with 12:34 to play.
• An 11-2 Bryant run with a pair of threes from Grant and one from junior Mikail Simmons (Murphy, Texas) put Bryant in front 65-56 with 9:10 to go.
• Cornell cut the Bryant lead to two multiple times before the Bulldogs scored the next five, started by an offensive rebound and basket from freshman Charles Pride (Syracuse, N.Y.) and followed by three free throws from Grant to go ahead 82-75 with 20 seconds remaining.
• A three-point play and a three-pointer got Cornell back within one with three seconds remaining and the Big Red were called for a flagrant foul on the inbound. Both free throws were missed and the ensuing baseline inbound clanked off the Chace Athletic Center ceiling, giving the ball back to Cornell with 1.1 seconds remaining. The three-point attempt by Cornell was off the mark and Bryant held on for its first victory of the season.

STATS

• Grant scored 24 points on 6-of-14 shooting and 4-of-9 from three.
• Lin scored all 16 of his points in the first half, spelling Grant with three fouls, and drained four shots from outside.
• Pride and Simmons each made two from the perimeter, while Green and Ndugba added one each to give Bryant 15 for the game – the second-most in Bryant's Division I era.
• Harding tallied eight offensive and 11 defensive rebounds and added eight points.
• Green and Ndugba recorded six assists each and the Bulldogs had 16 for the game.
• Lin collected three steals, while Ndugba and redshirt-junior Hall Elisias (Valley Stream, N.Y.) grabbed two each.
• Bryant shot 45.0 percent from the field and 46.9 percent from three.
• The Bulldogs hauled in a season-high 41 rebounds and out-rebounded the Big Red by nine.

GAME NOTES

• Grant collected the 110^th steal of his career, moving within six of Corey Maynard's D1 program record. Ndugba's two brought him to 104.
• Grant recorded his 26^th career game of 20 or more points and 68^th of 10 or more, tying Frankie Dobbs for third in the latter category.
• Harding's 19-rebound effort was his fifth of 10 or more in Black & Gold and second this season.
• All three Bryant games this season have been decided by two points or less.
• Bryant improves to 1-2 all-time against Cornell and 10-34 against the Ivy League.

UP NEXT
Bryant travels to Jersey City for a Wednesday night contest at Saint Peter's. The 7 p.m. clash can be seen on ESPN+.

Bryant Men's Basketball 2019-20 season tickets are available by clicking HERE. The Bulldogs return home Friday to host Northern Vermont-Lyndon at 7 p.m. as part of the Garden State Showcase. Tickets for Friday are available HERE.

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