Seven in double figures as Bryant downs Lyndon, 116-67
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Seven players posted double-digit scoring efforts, senior Adam Grant (Franklin, Va.) notched 21 points, and redshirt-junior Ikenna Ndugba (Boston, Mass.) and sophomore Patrick Harding (Fairfield, Conn.) collected double-doubles as the Bryant University men's basketball team erupted for a 116-67 victory over Northern Vermont-Lyndon Friday night in its second game of the Garden State Showcase.
Bryant's 116 points are a record for the Bulldogs since reclassifying to Division I, are the most since the Bulldogs scored 119 in an overtime contest against Assumption in 1993, and highest total in a 40-minute game since scoring 124 against Rhode Island College in 1976-77. The Bulldogs have a winning record through five games for the first time since 2013-14, when Bryant opened the season 6-2.
GAME INFORMATION
Bryant 116, Northern Vermont-Lyndon 67
Records: Bryant (3-2), NVU-Lyndon (2-1 - Exhibition)
Location: Chace Athletic Center (Smithfield, R.I.)
KEY MOMENTS
- Lyndon led 22-17 after a hot start from beyond the arc. Overall, the Hornets would make 10 of their first 17 field goals in the opening 12 minutes.
- Bryant outscored NVU 33-15 over the final nine minutes of the half to take a 16-point advantage into the break.
- An 11-4 run to begin the second half and an 18-0 stretch later in the half allowed Bryant to coast to the 49-point victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Hornets went toe-to-toe with the Bulldogs for the first 12 minutes of the contest, as the teams were tied at 26 thanks to a 10-for-17 start from the floor for NVU.
- An 8-0 Bryant run gave the Bulldogs a 32-26 advantage on a three-point play from junior Mikail Simmons (Murphy, Texas) with 6:56 to play in the half.
- The Bulldogs would outscore the Hornets 33-15 over the final nine minutes of the half to take a 57-41 lead into the locker room.
- Bryant opened the second half on an 11-4 run and then used an 18-0 stretch to go ahead 91-52 with 10:52 to go.
- The Bulldogs shot 64.9 percent and 56.3 percent from three in the second half.
STATS
- Grant scored 21 points on 8-of-17 shooting and added three assists, two steals, two rebounds and a block.
- Harding scored 12 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in 18 minutes of action for his first double-double of his collegiate career. The sophomore is averaging 12.6 rebounds per game.
- Ndugba scored 10 points and collected 11 rebounds, five assists and two steals.
- Redshirt-junior Hall Elisias (Valley Stream, N.Y.) scored 13 points and grabbed nine rebounds.
- Freshmen Benson Lin (New Taipei City, Taiwan) and Charles Pride (Syracuse, N.Y.) scored 13 points each, while Simmons added 10.
- Freshman Timmy Kiggins (Westbury, N.Y.) scored his first five collegiate points, collected two steals and added an assist while playing the final three minutes.
- Redshirt-sophomore Dren Dedushaj (Brooklyn, N.Y.) scored his first collegiate points.
- Senior SaBastian Townes (Chesapeake, Va.) made his season debut, collecting five points, two rebounds, two assists and a block in 12 minutes of action.
- Bryant shot 51.1 percent for the game, scoring 57 points in the first half and 59 in the second half.
- The Bulldogs' 55 rebounds bested the 53 Wednesday against Saint Peter's as Bryant's most since the move to Division I.
GAME NOTES
- Grant collected the 114th steal of his career, moving within two of Corey Maynard's D1 program record. Ndugba climbed to 106 Friday.
- Grant recorded his 70th career game of 10 or more points and 27th of 20 or more.
- The 49-point margin of victory was the most for Bryant since the Bulldogs moved to Division I.
- The seven double-figure scorers are Bryant's most in its Division I tenure.
- Bryant improves to 1-0 all-time against Northern Vermont-Lyndon and 5-0 against non-Division I opponents since the Bulldogs moved to D1 for the 2008-09 season.
- Friday's game was part of the Garden State Showcase, a multi-team event organized by Rutgers. The Bulldogs will face Niagara and Drexel to close out the event.
UP NEXT
The Bulldogs travel to Western New York for a Monday night contest at Niagara. The 7 p.m. game can be seen on ESPN3.
Bryant Men's Basketball 2019-20 season tickets are available by clicking HERE. Tickets for the Bulldogs' next home game Monday, Dec. 2 vs. Navy are available HERE.
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