BULLDOGS PICK UP FIRST-EVER WIN OVER INTRASTATE RIVAL BROWN, 68-61, WEDNESDAY NIGHT ON ROAD

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Sophomore guard Dyami Starks (Duluth, Minn.) scored a game- and career-high 25 points and junior forward Alex Francis (Harlem, N.Y.) added 18 to go along with 10 rebounds as the pair led the Bryant University men's basketball team to a 68-61 win over intrastate rival Brown at the Pizzitola Sports Center Wednesday night.

The win, Bryant's second in a row, marks the program's first victory over Brown (2-2) in 12 meetings as the Bulldogs improve to 2-2 heading into Sunday's game at Boston College (2 p.m.).

Coming off a solid win over the University of New Hampshire at home on Saturday, a game that saw the Bulldogs lead from start to finish, the Black and Gold carried that energy into Wednesday's tilt at Brown.

The Bulldogs were outstanding in the first half as Bryant shot a sizzling 50 percent from the floor and set the tone early, looking to spoil the home opener for the Bears.

Trading baskets in the early going, it looked as if both teams came ready to play.  Brown floor leader Sean McGonagill scored a runner in the lane to put the hosts up, 6-4, but it would be Brown's only lead of the game, as Vlad Kondratyev (Nikolayev, Ukraine) answered underneath to knot the score and Francis put the Bulldogs back in front, 8-6, seconds later.

It would kick-start an 11-0 run by the Bulldogs, capped by a long three from Corey Maynard (Adelaide, Australia) to give Bryant a 15-6 advantage with just under 14 minutes left in the half.

The Bears, playing at home for the first time this season, pulled to within five, 19-14, but the Bulldogs weren't fazed as Francis continued to score inside and Starks and Maynard stayed hot from long range.   

Maynard's three from the right side put the Bulldogs up, 26-17, and moments later a spin move in the paint by Francis helped give the visitors their largest lead of the frame, 30-18.

Leading, 35-24, at the halftime break, the Bulldogs extended their margin, 45-29, on a jumper by Kondratyev with 13:23 to go, but the Bears would not go away.

Cedric Kuakumensah helped spark the Bears with a put-back in the lane while Joe Sharkey drilled a corner three to highlight a streak that brought Brown back within six, 49-43, with just over eight minutes left.

Two more baskets from Kuakumensah cut the Bryant lead down to just four, 51-47, with six minutes left. But after a miss inside by Francis, Starks picked up the long rebound and buried a three from the top of the key to help slow the Bears' rally.

With the game still undecided in the final minutes, guard Frankie Dobbs (Berea, Ohio) came up big for the Bulldogs. The senior just beat the shot clock with a runner in the lane and followed with a nice steal on the defensive end, going the distance for a layup on the other end to finally put the game out of reach.

Dobbs finished with nine points in 39 minutes and handed out six assists. In his first game since scoring his 1,000-th career point (Saturday vs. UNH), Francis went 7-of-15 from the floor, while his 10 rebounds marked the 17th double-double of the junior's career. The Bulldogs finished shooting 43.1 percent from the floor and made 14-of-23 from the free throw line.

Kuakumensah led Brown with 14 points and a game-best 11 rebounds. 

The Bulldogs return to action Sunday afternoon, taking on Boston College at Conte Forum at 2 p.m. The game can be seen live on ESPN3 and heard on WOON 1240 AM or at bryantbulldogs.com.