Late Three-Pointer Downs Men's Basketball at Bryant

 A three-pointer with 7.4 seconds to play downed Central Connecticut, 63-60, in men's basketball action at Bryant on Thursday night. SaBastian Townes hit his third three of the night to proved the difference in the Bulldogs' win at home. CCSU had four players in double-figures and erased a six-point deficit late before the game-winner.

The loss drops Central to 8-12 overall and 2-5 in the Northeast Conference. Central hosts LIU Brooklyn at Detrick Gymnasium on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.

Senior Tyler Kohl and junior Jamir Coleman each had 14 points to lead CCSU. Kohl added 10 rebounds and five assists. Sophomore Kashaun Hicks finished with 12 points and senior Deion Bute had 11 points.

Central shot 25-of-62 (.403) from the field for the game and was 5-of-19 (.263) from the three-point arc. Central held a 38-32 rebounding margin. 

Senior Deion Bute scored on CCSU's opening possession before Bryant responsded with five straight. Sebastian Townes accounted for all five of the points, including a three-pointer at the 17:06 mark. 

Senior Tyler Kohl would end the Central scoring drought with 14:33 to go in the period. He would hit a short jumper at the 13:08 mark to give the Blue Devils a momentary, 8-7, lead.

The Bulldogs held the lead midway through the period before sophomore Kashaun Hicks scored five straight to cut the deficit to 16-15. A pair of foul shots put CCSU in front 17-16 at the 6:00 mark. 

Central would score six unanswered points to close the period and held Bryant scoreless over the final 2:52. Bute gave CCSU a 28-27 lead with 2:00 to go in the half and Kohl hit a basket in the paint to make it 30-27 at halftime.

The Blue Devils shot 41.9 percent (13-of-31) in the opening period, while holding the Bulldogs to 37.0 percent (10-of-27). CCSU outrebounded Bryant, 20-15. Hicks came off the bench to score 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting, while Bute was 4-of-5 from the field and scored 10 points.

Adam Grant scored eight straight points for the Bulldogs early in the second half and would put Bryant up 41-39.  Freshman Ian Krishnan would hit his third trifecta of the period to restore the Central lead at 42-41.

Central would build a four-point lead, its largest of the night to that point, with just under seven minutes to play. Junior Jamir Coleman accounted for seven straight points and his driving layup gave CCSU a 54-47 lead.

The Bulldogs charged back with eight straight points to take the lead. Byron Hawks scored six straight and a Juan Cardenas steal and layup put Bryant ahead 55-54 with 4:40 to play.

The Bryant lead would grow to 60-54 after 13 unanswered points, but CCSU would respond with a quick 6-0 run. Back-to-back Kohl jumpers were followed by a baseline drive by Coleman to tie the game with 1:32 to play. 

Following a Blue Devils miss, Bryant set up the game-winning possession. Townes got the ball at the top of the arc and hit a three-pointer with 7.4 second left to give the Bulldogs a 63-60 lead. The Blue Devils were unable to get off an attempt to tie the game and was held scoreless over the final 1:32.

Townes finished with 18 points to pace three Bulldogs in double-figures. Bryant shot 41.5 percent (22-of-53) for the game and was 9-of-25 (.360) from the arc.