SMITHFIELD, RI – John Williams and Chris Burns each scored 16 points as the Bryant University men's basketball team overcame a slow start to earn a 72-67 win over visiting Le Moyne in Northeast-10 Conference action Tuesday night at the Chace Athletic Center. 

Bryant shot just 34 percent from the floor and did not attempt a single free throw in the first in trailing the Dolphins, 35-26 at the break.  But in the second half, the Bulldogs stepped things up defensively and used sharp perimeter shooting to outscore the Dolphins 20 to 5 to open the second half.  A Jarrenn Wright fast-break basket followed by back-to-back three's from Williams helped give the Bulldogs a 46-40 lead with just over 10 minutes left.

Bryant (16-7, 11-7 NE-10) was just starting to heat up as Burns drained consecutive three's to make it 52-42 and Nate Sudlow added a basket and was fouled to push the lead up to 55-47.

Le Moyne (9-14, 4-14 NE-10) would not go away just yet as Jason Holmes scored on transition to pull the Dolphins to within four at 63-59 with 1:12 left.  After a pair of free throws by Bryant's Jon Ezeokoli would stretch the lead back to 65-60, Le Moyne would pull to within 66-64 after two free throws by Damani Corbin with 21 seconds left, but Bryant would add three more free throws in the final seconds to pull out the win.

Ezeokoli 13 points while Sudlow added 11 for the Bulldogs who have now won three-straight games.  The Bulldogs shot 52.0 percent from the floor in the second half and finished the game shooting a respectable 42 percent. 

Le Moyne was led by Matt Coopers 20 points and 9 rebounds while Corbin finished with 18 points and had five assists.  Le Moyne shot 55.1 percent from the floor in the game, including 7 of 14 from three-point range.  The Dolphins also out-rebounded Bryant, 32-25.

With his 16 points, Williams (pictured) moves into sixth all-time in career scoring at Bryant with 1,562 career points and his four 3-point field goals in Tuesday's game gives him 288 for his career, just seven shy of the school record of 295.

Bryant will travel to Saint Anselm College in Manchester, NH this Saturday for a 3:30 pm.  Le Moyne will host Assumption College on Saturday starting at 3 pm.