MONMOUTH ESCAPES WITH 50-46 WIN OVER BRYANT SATURDAY AFTERNOON
Saturday, January 30, 2010
MONMOUTH ESCAPES WITH 50-46 WIN OVER BRYANT SATURDAY AFTERNOON
SMITHFIELD, R.I - Chris Birrell (Scituate, R.I.) scored 15 points and freshman Vlad Kondratyev (Nikolayev, Ukraine) added 13 but it was not enough as the Bryant University men's basketball team dropped a 50-46 decision to Monmouth Saturday afternoon at the Chace Athletic Center.
Bryant led for most of the game and took a 27-21 advantage into the locker room at the break before the visiting Hawks (10-12, 6-4 Northeast Conference) would take their first lead of the contest midway through the second half. But the Bulldogs would not go away, keeping the game close down the stretch and nearly forcing overtime with a frantic finish in the final seconds.
Trailing, 47-39, with under two minutes remaining, the Bulldogs (0-22, 0-10) made one last run at the Hawks in search of their first victory on the season. A Birrell three made it 47-42 with 1:12 left. Birrell would intercept a pass from Coleman near midcourt and the Bulldogs worked the ball over to Barry Latham (Taunton, Mass.), who buried a three to pull Bryant to within five, 47-42, with just 37.9 seconds left.
Forcing the Hawks to earn the win at the line, the Bulldogs fouled MU's James Hett who came into the game making just five free throws all season. But Hett hit them both to make it a four-point game.
Bryant would not get any closer as Dutch Gaitley made one-of-two free throw attempts in the final seconds to help the Hawks pull away.
Monmouth was led by Campbell and forward Nick Deltufo, who each scored 15 points. Campbell, who was 0-1 from beyond the arc in the first half, made four three-pointers in the second frame to help Monmouth get out in front midway through the final session.
The Bulldogs came out red hot right from the start as two treys from Birrell and two power baskets inside by Kondratyev helped the home side jump out to a quick 12-2 lead over the Hawks in the first six minutes.
Monmouth fought its way back and pulled to within 23-19, thanks in large part to the hot shooting of DelTufo off the bench, who accounted for 11 of Monmouth's first 19 points.
The Hawks would get within a pair, 23-21, but another long-range three by Birrell helped send the Bulldogs to locker room leading at the break, 27-21.
In the second half, a basket by Mike Myers-Keitt and a baseline three from Will Campbell knotted the game at 30-30 with 10:30 remaining. It was the first tie of the contest since the opening tip.
Kontratyev and the Bulldogs would answer with another power move in the paint, but Campbell drained another baseline trey to give Monmouth its first lead of the game, 33-32 with 9:13 left on the clock.
The Bulldogs would trail, 38-35, but worked hard to battle back, regaining the lead thanks to a pair of free throws by Kondratyev. Bryant struggled from the line for most of the night, making just 5-of-13 attempts through the eight-minute mark of the second half, but Kondratyev calmly sank both to give Bryant a 39-38 lead with 5:58 remaining.
Monmouth, which shot 33 percent in the first half, started to ride the hot hand of Campbell, who again got a friendly roll with another trey.
"Number 10 hit some bit 3s down the stretch," said Bryant head coach Tim O'Shea. "He really was the difference in the game."
Whitney Coleman followed, knocking down a deep two to push the visitors back out in front, 43-39.
The Bulldogs were outshot on the day, 36.4 percent to 34.1 percent, and were outrebounded by the Hawks, 40-27. Bryant made just 8-of-17 free throws in the game.
"We're obviously disappointed because we had a chance," said O'Shea, "but we didn't make the plays we needed to down the stretch, that includes making free throws and giving up some key turnovers.
Bryant will host Central Connecticut next Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
