SMITHFIELD, R.I. (AP) — Alex Francis scored 27 points and grabbed 11 rebounds Thursday and Bryant University beat Sacred Heart 85-70.
Corey Maynard scored 19 points and shot 4 of 7 from beyond the arc, Dyami Starks scored 14, and Bryant (10-8, 2-1 Northeast Conference) outshot Sacred Heart (4-14, 1-2) 53 percent to 38.3 percent.
The lead changed hands five times in the first half until Sacred Heart’s Louis Montes hit a layup to tie it at 26, then Bryant pulled ahead on a 10-2 run in which Francis scored six points and Bryant led 44-40 at halftime.
The teams traded baskets until Maynard’s layup at 10:58 in the second half sparked a 15-0 run and Bryant pulled away.
