Bryant finds the range in final game of Florida trip

Edert swishes 7 of Bulldogs’ 16 3-pointers in win over Detroit Mercy

BOCA RATON, Fla. — The Bryant University men’s basketball team hit 16 three pointers, including seven by Doug Edert, on its way to a 98-88 victory over Detroit Mercy on Monday afternoon in the final game of the Paradise Invitational at Florida Atlantic University.

Bryant’s 16 three pointers were one shy of its program record against a Division I opponent, while its 25 assists were the most in a game in DI program history. The Bulldogs finished their three-game trip to Florida with a 2-1 record.

Edert paced the Bryant offense with 23 points on 7-of-12 shooting from beyond the arc. Earl Timberlake added 19 points, six rebounds and five assists, and Antwan Walker posted a double-double with 13

points and 10 boards. Sherif Gross-Bullock (16 pts, 8 assists) and Charles Pride (13 pts) also finished in double figures.

Moments after Detroit Mercy erased an 11-point Bryant lead, Edert fed Timberlake down low and Timberlake was able to finish through the harm for an and-1. Bryant never trailed again.

Detroit took a 19-12 lead following a four-point play from Jayden Stone. Bryant tied the game as Edert canned a pair of technical free throws and then sank a corner three.

Four consecutive three pointers resulted in a 29-29 tie before Walker gave Bryant a 31-29 with a layup at the 9:50 mark. Trifectas from Gross-Bullock and Edert pushed the lead to six and Gross-Bullock gave Bryant its largest lead of nine with 3:41 to go.

The Titans were able to hit two free throws at the end of the half to make it a one-point game. A pair of threes from Edert and Pride sparked the Bulldogs, while a transition alley-oop from Gross-Bullock to Timberlake gave Bryant a 68-59 lead 3:30 into the second half.

Edert then hit a catch-and-shoot three from the wing to give the Bulldogs a 76-64 lead with 12:41 to go. A pair of free throws from Pride made it 82-71 with 8:25 left but the Titans reeled off a 13-2 run, tying the game at 84-84 on a Damezi Anderson putback with 4:59 to go.

On Bryant’s next possession, Edert came to a jump stop in the lane and fed Timberlake underneath and he was able to lay it home while being fouled. Timberlake canned the free throw and Bryant led, 87-84. A wild sequence followed as the Bulldogs turned the Titans over at midcourt. Kvonn Cramer dove on the loose ball, fired it ahead and eventually Miles Latimer finished in transition to make it a five-point game.

Timberlake hit all four free throws down the stretch and Walker added five points down the stretch to close it out.

Bryant finished 33-of-64 (51.6 percent) from the field, 16-of-31 (51.6 percent) from three and 16-of-21 (76.2 percent) from the line. The Bulldogs held a 39-26 advantage in rebounds.

Bryant also had a 32-22 advantage in points in the paint and a 23-6 advantage in second chance points thanks to 18 offensive rebounds.

Bryant finished the game with 25 assists and just nine turnovers. Next up, the Bulldogs head to Syracuse on Saturday to face the Orange. Tip is set for 4 p.m. at the JMA Wireless Dome.