February 2, 2007

Bryant Men Hosts Third-Rannked Bentley Saturday at 3:30 pm
LISTEN TO THE GAME / VIDEO /  GAME NOTES (pdf) / LIVE STATS

Chris Burns and the Bryant men's basketball team hosts No. 3 Bentley Saturday at 3:30 pm. The last time a top-5 team came to the Chace Center, Bryant upset then No. 2 UMass Lowell in 2003.

UPDATE
Bryant (14-6, 11-5 NE-10) saw its seven-game win streak snapped Wednesday night at the hands of Saint Anselm, 71-70 in Manchester, NH.  Saint Anselm buried 12 three-point field goals and got the win on two free throws with 5.5 seconds on the clock after Nick Pontes hit a jumper with nine ticks left to put the Bulldogs on top. 

Saint Anselm shot 52 percent from the floor in the second half including 71 percent  (10 for 14) from three-point range.  Jon Ezeokoli had 22 points for Bryant to lead all scorers. The Bulldogs, ranked No. 25 nationally this week and No. 2 in the region, hosts No. 3 and undefeated Bentley College this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Bentley handled Bryant 61-49 in Waltham, Mass.  

STORY LINES  

* Chris Burns is ranked 10th nationally with 3.7 three-point field goals per game. The senior has 73 three-point field goals this year.   

*  Bryant is 10-0 at home this year

* The Bulldogs are 7-2 in the month of January and have won 9 of their last 11. 

* Bryant's last win over a ranked opponent was back on Jan. 6 when the Bulldogs defeated #20 Saint Rose (NY) 72-71.

* Bryant defeated UMass Lowell, 78-72, four seasons ago on Jan. 20, 2003. Lowell was #2 at the time and was poised to move up to No. 1 following a loss by the top-ranked team earlier in the week, but Bryant played spoilers with the win.

* Bentley's last trip to Smithfield, RI was an epic encounter with the Bryant winning a thrilling, 88-78 in double overtime in front of 2,160 at the Chace Center.  Jerrann Wright had 21 points on 9 of 12 shooting while Bentley's Nate Frisch had 13 points and 13 rebounds.

* Bentley's roster includes Pawtucket, RI native John Brandt (Wheeler/St. Thomas Moore).  Bentley is averaging 74 ppg and allowing 57 ppg.

* Bentley's led by Lew Finnegan (14 ppg. 

BULLDOGS CRACK NATIONAL RANKINGS
The Bulldogs received good news earlier this week by cracking the NABC Coaches Poll Top-25.  The Bulldogs are No. 25 this week and ranked for the first time since ending the 2004-05 season at No. 25 (despite finishing as the NCAA runner-up). 

BULLDOGS REMAIN NO. 2 IN REGIONAL POLL
The Bryant men's basketball team stayed the course at No. 2 in the NCAA Northeast Region for the second consecutive week.  Eight teams are selected for the NCAA Regional Tournament with the three regional conference champions earning an automatic bid. 

NEXT UP
Following Saturday's game vs. Bentley, Bryant will host Franklin Pierce on Tuesday night before embarking on a four-game road trip starting Feb. 10 at AIC.  

WINNING WHEN IT MATTERS MOST
Max Good's Bulldogs have found success in the winter months leading up to conference and NCAA playoff time.  The Bulldogs, who have advanced to three-straight NCAA Championships, are currently 7-2 in the month of January.  Since the 2003-04 season, Bryant has a 27-13 record in the month of January and 18-6 record in the month of February.  Last year, Bryant was 8-1 in February. 

Since 2003-04:
Record in January -                27-13
Record in February -              18-6

SENIORS HAVE .704 WINNING PERCENTAGE
Bryant's senior class of Chris Burns (Merrimack, NH), Dan Hammond (Brunswick, Maine), Nate Sudlow (Brooklyn, NY) have been involved in more than 80 wins during their four year careers.  The trio bring a combined record of 83-35 (.703) into Saturday's game vs. Le Moyne. 

GRESHAMGOES FOR CAREER-BEST 17 VS. SNHU
Freshman Cecil Gresham (Bloomfield, CT) scored a career-high 17 points on 6 of 12 shooting from the floor in 38 minutes of action vs. Southern NH on Jan. 17.  Gresham's previous best was 12 vs. Franklin Pierce.

31 POINTS AND 8 THREE'S .... TWICE IN A ROW
Chris Burns (Merrimack, NH) found a groove two weeks ago in leading Bryant past Pace and Stonehill at home.  The senior had a career-high 31 points and school record tying eight 3-pointers vs. Pace on Jan. 11 in a game broadcast on Cox Sports Television.  Remarkably, he matched those numbers again two nights later with 31 and 8 trey's vs. Stonehill.