SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Gerard Suero scored 29 points and Logan Aronhalt added 19 points and 13 rebounds as Albany (N.Y.) dominated early and held on to beat Brown 77-68 Monday night.
Suero scored seven points in the opening 8:07, when the Great Danes (1-1) took an 18-6 lead.
The Bears (1-1), who trailed 41-29 at halftime, came back in the second half behind Matt Sullivan, who scored 19 of his 26 points in the final 20 minutes. Sullivan hit a pair of 3-pointers and two free throws in a span of 1:02 to cut Albany’s lead to 65-60 with 4:17 to play.
The Great Danes safeguarded their lead by making all eight of their free throws the rest of the way, four by Mike Black.
Albany held a 42-30 rebounding advantage and shot 49 percent (24 of 49) to Brown’s 38.6 percent (22 of 57) in the first-round NIT Season Tip-Off game.