Walker, Pride combine for 61 points in win over UAlbany

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Antwan Walker scored a career-high 33 points and Charles Pride matched his career-high with eight three-pointers as the Bryant University men's basketball team picked up an 86-69 victory over UAlbany on Wednesday night at the Chace Athletic Center.

With the victory, the Bulldogs snapped a two-game skid and moved to 2-2 in America East play. After posting a combined 15 assists and 29 turnovers in consecutive losses, Bryant finished with 22 assists and just 12 turnovers against Albany.

Walker enjoyed a career-day for the Black and Gold, finishing with 33 points and 11 rebounds for his third-straight double-double. He was 14-of-21 from the field and 4-of-8 from beyond the arc. Pride matched his career-high with eight three-pointers, finishing 8-of-13. He added five rebounds and five assists to his 28-point effort.

Earl Timberlake chipped in five points, seven rebounds and a career-high nine assists, while Sherif Gross-Bullock posted seven points, six rebounds and three assists. Miles Latimer added seven points and three steals.

Game Information
Bryant 86, UAlbany 69
Records: Bryant 11-6, 2-2 AE | UAlbany 6-13, 1-3 AE
Location: Chace Athletic Center (Smithfield, R.I.)
Attendance: 669

Key Moments

• Bryant scored the first 11 points and raced out to a 14-2 lead to set the tone on Wednesday.

How it Happened

• Bryant raced out of the gates on Wednesday, hitting four of its first five attempts from beyond the arc.
• Walker scored the first five points himself, hitting a step-back three to make it 5-0. After a Pride three made it 8-0, Walker sank his second three from the top. Pride made it 14-2 at the under-16 media with his second triple off a baseline out of bounds play.
• UAlbany would pull within 15-9 before another Walker triple stunted the run.
• Back-to-back threes from Pride then pushed Bryant's lead to 13, 28-15, with 8:33 left.
• Bryant would match its largest lead of 13 on a Gross-Bullock three from the corner at the 3:20 mark.
• The Great Danes, however, answered with a 7-0 run to pull within six with under 1:30 left in the half.
• Bryant would take an eight-point lead, 44-36, to the break.
• Pride got Bryant going in the second half as he drilled a corner three following perfect ball movement from his teammates.
• The Great Danes answered with a three but Bryant hit back with seven quick points. Walker finished a beautiful dish inside, Latimer drilled a corner three and Walker swished a triple from in front of the Bryant bench to give Bryant its largest lead of the night, 57-42, with 16:45 left.
• UAlbany pulled within nine again but Pride pushed the lead back to double-digits with a three at the 12:53 mark.
• Walker hit his career-high with a fadeaway jump shot at the 11:25 mark and then produced his first-career 30-point effort when he finished an unbelievable pass from Timberlake.

Stats

• Bryant finished 32-of-60 (53.3 percent) from the field, 15-of-31 (48.4 percent) from three and 7-of-10 (70.0) from the line.
• Bryant earned a 35-29 advantage on the glass.
• The Bulldogs finished with 22 assists and just 12 turnovers.
• Walker finished with 33 points and 11 rebounds. He went 14-of-21 from the field and 4-of-8 from three.
• Pride scored 28 points on 8-of-13 shooting from beyond the arc. He added five rebounds and five assists and didn't commit a turnover.
• Latimer and Gross-Bullock each finished with seven points.
• Timberlake posted five points, seven rebounds and nine assists.  

Game Notes

• Bryant and Albany were meeting for the first time since December of 2017.
• The Bulldogs pick up their first victory over the Great Danes (1-3).
• Bryant improves to 6-2 at home this season and 30-4 since the start of the 2020-21 season.
• Pride now has 1,360 points and 676 rebounds in his career.
• Pride has now scored in double-figures in 67 times in his career. Wednesday was his 20^th-career 20-point game.
• Pride now has 155 career three-point field goals, the fourth-most in DI program history.
• Wednesday night marked Pride's 100th career game with the Black and Gold.
• Walker finished with his sixth double-double of the year and the 11th of his career.
• Walker has posted double-doubles in three-straight games, becoming the first Bulldog since Alex Francis in 2013-14 to accomplish the feat.
• Walker collected his first-career 30-point game, second 20-point game of the season and the third of his career.
• Walker has now scored in double-figures 14 times this year and 36 times in his career.
• Walker has 11 or more rebounds in each of his last three games.
• Timberlake's nine assists were a career-high.  

Up Next
The Bulldogs travel to Durham, New Hampshire, on Saturday to take on UNH. Tip is set for 1:02 p.m.