Smithfield, R.I. – November 27, 2023 – For the first time since 1995, the Springfield College men's basketball program faced off with Division I Bryant University as the Bulldogs came away with a 108-74 win over the Pride in an exhibition matchup tonight in the Chance Athletic Center.
Springfield, which was featured on ESPN+ in tonight's matchup with Bryant, was guided by Gary Bess (Miami, Fla.), who notched 15 points in 25 minutes of action. Both Nick Bray (Hartford, Conn.) and Joe Hoch (South Ozone Park, N.Y.) registered 12 points apiece off the bench for the Pride. Josiah Evely (Toronto, Ontario) chipped in with eight points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals, while Josh Hartley (Brooklyn, N.Y.) led the way defensively for Springfield with eight rebounds in just his second game of the season for Springfield.
Bess sank a jumper for Springfield's first points of the game just 1:11 into the contest to even the score at 2-2 before Bryant 23-4 run over the next ten minutes to pull ahead by a 25-7 score. The run featured ten points from Sherif Gross-Bullock, who tallied ten of his 25 points in the spurt. Gross-Bullock ended with a game-high 25 points on 9-for-13 shooting from the floor to go along with six boards and two assists.
Springfield put together a 9-2 run that featured six points from Bess to cut its deficit to 14 points at 39-25 with five minutes remaining in the first half. The Bulldogs, however, answered and built their lead up to 24 at 58-34 heading into the halftime break.
Both teams combined for 90 points (50 for Bryant, 40 for Springfield) over the second 20 minutes of play to account for the 108-74 final. Hoch and Bray both notched ten points a piece for Springfield in the second stanza and ten different student-athletes for the Pride tallied at least two points in the half.
Springfield scored 40 points off the bench, 28 points in the paint and 13 points off 11 Bryant turnovers.
The Pride will return to action on Thursday, November 30 at 7:00 pm in Blake Arena.
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