Smithfield, RI - UMBC sophomore guard Dion Brown poured in a career-high 31 points, but the visiting Retrievers were edged by the Bryant Bulldogs, 99-95, on Thursday evening at Chase Athletic Center.
 
Brown, who also added a game-high 12 rebounds for his fourth "double-double" of the season, connected on 13-of-20 field goal attempts and hit 3-of-5 3-pointers.  Junior guard Marcus Banks Jr. contributed 26 points and went 5-for-12 from behind the arc. Graduate student forward Max-Lorca Lloyd (11 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks) and freshman guard Franck Emmou (10 points) were also in double-figures.
 
UMBC (6-16, 1-6 America East) took their final lead at 88-87 after freshman guard Ace Valentine picked up a long rebound and went the other way for a fast-break layup at the 2:04 mark. The hosts, however, answered with seven straight points to claim a 94-88 advantage with forty-eight seconds left.
 
The Retrievers refused to go away as Brown hit a pair from the charity-stripe and then converted a put back to inch the Retrievers closer, 94-92, with twenty-six ticks left.
 
Bryant (14-8, 6-1 AE) forward Rafael Pinzon made a pair of free throws to give the Bulldogs a 96-92 lead with just 18 seconds left, but Brown drained a trey to make it 96-95 with 12 seconds left.
 
Forward Earl Timberlake got past UMBC's defense on the ensuing in bounds play and finished an uncontested dunk to widen the lead to 98-95 with ten ticks left.
 
UMBC had a chance at the equalizer, but Brown got tied up by Daniel Rivera with three seconds left and the alternating possession arrow was in the Bulldogs' favor.
 
Bryant guard Guard Sherif Gross-Bullock put the game away with one of two free throws with a second left.
 
Gross-Bullock scored a game-high 35 points on 11-of-14 shooting, including 7-for-9 from long-distance. Rivera added a "double-double" of 18 points and ten caroms.
 
UMBC will travel to UAlbany on Saturday evening.