Nov. 18, 2006 

BRYANT MEN'S BASKETBALL RALLIES TO DEFEAT AIC, 72-68

SMITHFIELD, RI - Junior forward Jon Ezeokoli scored 18 points and senior guard Chris Burns added 12 to help rally the Bryant men's basketball team to a hard-fought, come-from-behind 72-68 win over American International College Saturday night at the Chace Athletic Center.   The win, Bryant's first of the year, improves the Bulldogs to 1-1 on the season.

The Bulldogs trailed AIC 46-35 at the half as the Yellow Jackets (1-10) shot a blistering 57.6 percent from the floor in the first half - including five 3-point field goals. But in the second half, Bryant battled back, pulling to within a point, 60-59 with just over eight minutes left.   Burns would drain one of his three 3-pointers on the night to give the Bulldogs a 62-60 lead. 

AIC, led by Magen McNeil's 19 points and 13 rebounds, would not got away, regaining the lead and stretching it to 68-63, but another three by Burns with 1:40 remaining put the Bulldogs ahead and would not trail again, using two solid defensive stops in the final minute to pull out the win.

Bryant shot 44.1 percent from the floor and got 10 points off the bench from Ryan McLean and Nick Pontes. The Yellow Jackets shot 48.2 percent from the floor (34.8 percent in the second half) and out-rebounded Bryant 35-28. 

Bryant will host Saint Anselm Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m.