BRYANT MEN UPSET NO. 20 BENTLEY, 88-78 SATURDAY IN DOUBLE OVERTIME THRILLER
WILLIAMS NETS 30 IN WIN; GOOD EARNS 200TH WIN
Boxscore

  SMITHFIELD, RI – John Williams scored a game-high 30 points as the Bryant University men's basketball team upset No. 20 Bentley, 88-78 in double overtime before 2,160 fans at the Chace Athletic Center.  The win, Bryant's sixth-straight, moves the Bulldogs to 19-7 overall and 16-5 in the Northeast-10.  Bentley, ranked No. 1 in the region, was led by Tim Forbes 22 points as the Falcons had their 13-game win streak snapped with the loss. Bentley's last loss was to the Bulldogs back on Jan. 5.

      Bryant led 63-62 in the closing seconds of regulation, but after the Bulldogs' Jon Ezeokoli made one of two free throws to give the Bulldogs a two-point lead, Tim Forbes drove the length of the floor in the final six seconds and banked in a runner to force the first overtime.

    In the first extra session, Bryant led 71-67 thanks to an Ezeokoli drive in the lane with 1:30 left.  But Sean Cooke made it a two-point game with a nice drive down the lane to make it 71-69 with just over a minute left and later scored on another drive and was fouled with 16.1 seconds on the clock.

Cooke, who was 5-for-5 from the line at the time, missed the free throw that would have given the Falcons the lead. On the ensuing possession, Bryant's Williams pulled up for a three-pointer from the top of the key but was long and both teams went to the second overtime to decide the outcome.

     In the second OT, Chris Burns (right) hit a big three from the top of the key and Jarrenn Wright scored on a spin move in the lane to give Bryant a 76-71 advantage.  A Wright free throw with 1:36 left gave Bryant a 79-73 lead and the Bulldogs would close out the extra period making 7of 8 free throws to seal the victory.

     Forbes finished the game 8 of 16 from the floor and had four 3-pointers to go with 5 assists.  Cooke finished with 18 points and had 7 rebounds.

     Williams was 9 for 26 from the floor in the game and made 6 of 18 three-point baskets and played all 50 minutes.  Wright finished with a career-high 21 points and added six rebounds while Burns and Ezeokoli each had 11.

     The win was career No. 200 for fifth-year Bryant coach Max Good.
Bryant will host Merrimack College on Tuesday night at the Chace Athletic Center (7:30 pm).  It will be the final home regular season game for senior John Williams who will be honored with a special pre-game ceremony.
-30-
www.bryantbulldogs.com