Siena controls boards to crush Bryant

Bulldogs looking to get healthy prior to NEC play By BRANDEN MELLO bmello@woonsocketcall.com

SMITHFIELD – Twice in the first four minutes, 45 seconds of Sunday’s non-conference clash with visiting Siena, struggling Bryant forced the Saints into a missed shot.

And twice the Saints secured an offensive rebound and scored a bucket. It’s a disturbing trend that’s turned the Bulldogs from a mediocre defensive team into one of the worst defenses in the nation.

Bryant came into Sunday’s game at the Chace Athletic Center allowing over 113 points per 100 possessions according to kenpom.com, and that number only got worse.

Siena snapped a three-game losing skid by pulling down 16 offensive rebounds for 20 points, as Roman Penn and Nico Clareth each scored a game-high 19 points to lead the Saints to an 87-68 victory over the banged-up Bulldogs.

“We’re not the biggest team in the world, that has something to do with it,” Bryant coach Tim O’Shea said of the 42-21 rebounding disparity. “Their guards got a lot of rebounds. They just beat us to the ball. I really don’t know how to explain it. They’re clearly more athletic than we are right now and Clareth is a really good player.”

Bryant (1-11) has one more non-conference game to figure out its how to fix its defense and rebounding issues before the See REBOUND, page B3