Bulldogs host Mount St. Mary's Saturday in Season Finale

SMITHFIELD, R.I. -- Despite a team-high 21 points from sophomore forward Alex Francis (Harlem, N.Y.) and career-high 13 from junior Daniel Calandrillo (Leonardo, N.J.), the Bryant University men's basketball team dropped an 86-73 Northeast Conference decision to Wagner College Thursday night at the Chace Athletic Center.

Francis made 7-of-17 from the floor and grabbed seven boards before fouling out in the final minutes of the contest, but not before the sophomore helped power the Bulldogs (2-27, 1-16 NEC) to a strong start to the first half that saw the hosts lead for most of the frame.

Long-range accuracy and good ball movement helped key the quick start the Bulldogs were looking for, as junior point guard Frankie Dobbs (Berea, Ohio) drilled home back-to-back threes before Francis and rookie Ben Altit (Herzeliya, Israel) each got into the act with long-range treys of their own, and Bryant found itself out in front quickly, 18-8.

Wagner (24-4, 15-2) would pull to within seven, 20-13, on a layup from Jonathon Williams (game-high 27 points), but two free throws by Dobbs minutes later gave Bryant its largest lead of the half, 25-14. A power move inside by Francis made it 27-18 and after a two free throws from Williams, Erick Smith (Bel Air, Md.) scored on a nice reverse layup inside to give the Bulldogs a 29-20 advantage with just over seven minutes to go before the break.

Bryant maintained a lead through the end of the frame but Wagner would cut its deficit to just two, 42-40, by the final whistle despite the Bulldogs shooting 55 percent from the floor in the first half and outrebounding the Seahawks by four heading into the locker room.

After trading baskets in the opening minutes of the second half, Latif Rivers drilled a 3-pointer to finally put the Seahawks in front, 49-47, for the first time since the opening basket of the game.

The visitors extended their lead over the next three minutes, and two Williams free throws put the Seahawks up, 58-49, with just over 13 minutes to play, but a drive in the lane by Francis and coast-to-coast play by Calandrillo pulled the Bulldogs back within five, 58-53, with 12:47 remaining.

But with under 11 minutes another pair of Williams freebies gave Wagner a double-digit advantage, and a three from the corner by Chris Martin midway through the stanza all but put the game away for the visitors.

Calandrillo, whose previous career high of 12 came against Central Connecticut last month, finished the game shooting 5-for-8 from the field and added five rebounds in 23 minutes off the bench

Dobbs had 20 points and dished out four assists in 36 minutes while Altit and Smith each finished with nine points. Bryant finished the game shooting 47 percent from the floor, however, after making its first four threes of the game, ended the contest shooting just 5-of-13 from beyond the arc.

Bryant will close out the 2011-12 season Saturday hosting Mount St. Mary's at 4 p.m.