BULLDOGS HEADED TO NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

BRYANT MEN TO PLAY FOR NATIONAL TITLE
BULLDOGS DEFEAT TARLETON STATE 60-55 IN NATIONAL SEMIFINALS
Box Score

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The historic Bryant men’s basketball season continues.  Behind a game-high 25 points from junior sensation John Williams, the Bulldogs held off a tough Tarleton State (TX) team, 60-55 in the national semifinals Thursday to earn a spot in the NCAA Division II Championship game on Saturday (1 p.m. / CBS-TV).  Bryant, making its first appearance in the Elite Eight, will be the first Northeast-10 Conference team to play in the national title game.

“The defensive rebounding is the most important part of the game,” said Bryant’s fourth-year coach Max Good in the media press conference following the win.  “You win games with grunt work and our games gave it all they had tonight.”

Against a talented Tarleton State team, the Bulldogs had to battle for every rebound and work for open shots, but the Texas had a hard time stopping John Williams.  The junior made 6-of-10 three pointers in the game and finishing with just three turnovers in 40 minutes of action.

“A player like that is difficult to defend,” said TSU’s Cornell Jones. 

The Bulldogs held leads of 7-2 and 11-7 early, but behind the inside play of David Stephen’s (17 points), the Texans regained the lead midway through the first half, pulling in front by as much as seven, 18-11 after a jumper in the lane by Stephens.

But the resilient Bulldogs would not go away.  A Mike Williams dunk and a John Williams three with 7:03 left helped spark a 16-5 run to close the half.

Sophomore Chris Burns, who had a strong game in the quarterfinal win over Mount Olive, with 12 points, came up big once again, providing valuable minutes on the floor and utilizing his quickness and speed to help set the table for Williams and big Mike Williams underneath. Burns had five points in the game and added three rebounds.

The Bulldogs also got a strong effort off the bench from senior Jarett Love who came in to help provide some strong defensive pressure but came up big with a key offensive putback midway through the game to help keep the Bulldogs close. Freshman Jon Ezeokoli also came off the bench and proceeded to drain a big three to help kick start the team's last first-half run to regain the lead.

Tarleton State was held with just one field goal in the final 6:10 of the half.

In the second half, the Bulldogs led the entire way, riding the back of John William’s long-range accuracy to build a 50-42 lead and came through down the stretch with clutch free throw shooting, setting a date for Saturday’s championship game.

Dan Hammond knocked down a pair of free throws with 3.2 seconds remaining to give Bryant its margin of victory.