SMITHFIELD, RI. – The LIU men's basketball fell to Bryant on the road Thursday night, 87-80. The Bulldogs led wire to wire in the game, including by as many as 16 points. The Sharks, who are now 9-8 in the Northeast Conference, were led by four players scoring in double figures.

SHARK BITES

• Bryant got on the board first, and pushed the lead to 11-2 in the first three minutes, and eventually to 16-5 with 15:07 to play. Ty Flowers and Virshon Cotton would hit back-to-back threes to get LIU closer, but the Bulldogs would hit a three of their own that moved it to 21-11.
• Flowers would make back-to-back threes at 2:37 that cut the lead to 47-41, but other than that, the Bulldogs would continue to have an answer for LIU every time they scored. Freshman Kyndall Davis hit a jumper and made a free throw in the final two minutes that would bring the Sharks within five, 49-44, and Bryant led, 52-45 at the half.
• In the second half, the Bulldogs would push the lead to its widest point of the day, 67-51 with 15:35 to play, but the Sharks would not stop fighting.
• Jermaine Jackson Jr. would bring LIU back within single digits at 11:18 with his jumper, 69-61.And his three just about two minutes later had LIU within striking distance, 71-66.
• But in the end, the Bulldogs did enough to keep LIU at arm's length, eventually taking the win, 87-80.
• The Sharks forced 20 Bryant turnovers, while only committing 10, and scored 21 points off of those turnovers.
• LIU struggled from the field (37 percent) and three-point range (26.3 percent) in the contest, while Bryant shot 51.7 percent from the field. The Bulldogs also out-rebounded LIU, 45-36.
• The Sharks were led by junior Jermaine Jackson Jr., who had 22 points and four assists. Junior Eral Penn had a double double, with 19 points and 13 rebounds, while senior Ty Flowers chipped in 17 points. And redshirt sophomore Alex Rivera added 10 points for LIU.
• Up next, LIU takes on the Bulldogs again, Friday, February 26 at 4 p.m.