Bulldogs fall in NEC Championship to Mount

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Charles Pride scored a career-high 33 points but the second-seeded Bryant University men's basketball team came up short against fourth-seeded Mount St. Mary's, 73-68, in Tuesday's Northeast Conference Championship game.

Playing in their first NEC Title game, the Bulldogs were held under 40 percent from the field and were outrebounded 46-34 by the Mountaineers. Bryant finishes its season with a 15-6 record.

Pride poured in a Bryant DI postseason record 33 points on 8-of-12 shooting from beyond the arc. He added seven rebounds, two steals in 40 minutes. Peter Kiss added a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Hall Elisias added nine points, seven rebounds and four blocks.  

Game Information
Mount St. Mary's 73, Bryant 68
Records: Bryant 15-6 | Mount St. Mary's 12-10
Location: Chace Athletic Center (Smithfield, R.I.)

Key Moments

• Bryant pulled within a point with 7:18 to go but Mount's Damian Chong Qui scored seven-straight points to push the deficit back six with 5:04 to go.    

How it Happened

• Pride got Bryant going early with back-to-back threes, making it 8-4 at the first media timeout.
• The Mount was able to even the score at the second media timeout and then took the lead for good on a Nana Opoku layup with 8:27 to go.
• Mount pushed the lead to eight before Pride drilled a three with 25 seconds to go in the half.
• In the second half, Chong Qui got Mount going with a three to make it an eight point game.
• The Mountaineers stretched the lead to 11 on a layup with 11:48 to go.
• Pride scored five quick points for the Black and Gold, with his three at the 8:15 mark making it 54-48, Mount.
• Elisias then converted a three-point play and Pride followed with a steal and a hoop to make it a one-point game.
• Chong Qui, however, scored the next seven points for Mount.
• Bryant would trail by 10 again but back-to-back threes from Pride just 19 seconds apart made it a 67-64 game with 56 seconds to go.
• The Mount, however, was able to make enough free throws down the stretch to close it out.

Stats

• Bryant finished the game 25-of-65 (.385) from the field, 8-of-25 (.320) from three and 10-of-11 (.909) from the line.
• The Bulldogs were outrebounded, 46-34.
• Pride scored 33 points on 12-of-22 from the field and 8-of-12 from three. He added seven rebounds and two steals in 40 minutes.
• Kiss registered 12 points, 12 rebounds and two assists.
• Elisias added nine points, seven boards and four blocks.   

Game Notes

• Bryant was playing in its first-ever NEC Championship.
• Bryant finished the year 10-1 at home.
• Pride's 33 points are a career high and the most by a Bulldog in a DI postseason game.
• Pride's eight threes are the second-most in a game in DI program history.
• Kiss registered his second double-double of the year.
• Pride and Kiss represented the Bulldogs on the NEC All-Tournament team.