Bryant Tops Central with Late Run
Blue Devils are now 2-2 in NEC play this season
Bryant University broke a 56-56 tie in the final four minutes on Saturday with 7-0 run that gave them the lead for good, winning 69-62 on the road at Central Connecticut on Saturday afternoon. The Blue Devils would get no closer than six the rest of the way and fell to 6-9 overall and 2-2 in Northeast Conference action with the loss.
Bryant improves to 11-4 overall and 4-0 in the league with the win, their sixth straight.
The Blue Devils led 30-22 with 3:43 left in the first half but went cold from the field over the next eight minutes of action. Bryant outscored Central 9-3 to end the half and cut the Blue Devil lead to 33-31 at the break. Central had led by as many as 11 in the first half.
The Bulldogs opened the second half with seven straight points, pushing the run to 16-3, and took a 38-33 lead with 14:44 to play in the game. Central went without a basket for the first 5:28 of the half before a three from sophomore Adonis Burbage stopped the Bryant run.
The three from Burbage started a 14-4 run for the Blue Devils and they retook the lead 39-38 less than a minute later. The lead reached 47-42 for the Blue Devils with 8:57 left in the game, but a quick 8-3 run by Bryant tied it three minutes later.
The teams would be tied just one more time in the game, 56-56, with 3:55 left in the game, but the Bulldogs posted a 7-0 run to take the lead for good and hang on for their sixth straight win.
The Blue Devils were led by sophomore Kyle Vinales who had 22 points and three assists. Burbage added 20, each had four threes in the game. Junior Matt Hunter had six points but grabbed 13 rebounds, had three assists, three blocks and two steals.
The Bulldogs were led by Alex Francis who had 26 points and 18 rebounds. Frankie Dobb added 14 points and five assists.
Central shot poorly from the field, hitting just 18-of-63, including 7-of-34 from inside the three point line. They shot just 28.6 percent from the floor in the game, and 20.6 percent from two point range. They were 11-of-29 from three.
Central remains at home next week in NEC play, hosting Wagner on Thursday night and Mount St. Mary's on Saturday. Thursday night's game vs. Wagner will be televised live on CPTV Sports.
