Kuakumensah Leads Brown Over Bryant In Matchup Of Ocean State Rivals

Brown University Press Release

Providence, R.I. – Junior forward Cedric Kuakumensah, the Ivy League’s two-time Defensive Player of the Year, scored a game high 20 points and completed the double-double with 15 rebounds to lead Brown to a 69-62 win over Bryant in an Ocean State battle at the Pizzitola Sports Center.

Brown improves to 4-6 with the win, while Bryant falls to 1-5 overall.

“I’m extremely pleased with the energy and effort that got us off to a good start,” said Brown head coach Mike Martin. “Cedric was great protecting the rim and hedging the ball screens tonight.”

Kuakumensah connected on 7-of-13 field goals in scoring 20 points, while also blocking four shots.

“Cedric was all over the floor, playing with tremendous energy,” said Martin.  “His defense fueled our offensive flow.”

Bears’ sophomore guard Steven Spieth also played a key role in the game, scoring 12 points, connecting on 8-of-8 free throws, but more importantly, defending Bryant’s high-scoring guard Dyami Starks. Spieth held Starks, who came into the game averaging 20 points per game, to just 16 points on 5-of-18 shooting from the field, including 3-of-13 shooting from beyond the three-point arc.

Sophomore forward Leland King and sophomore guard Tavon Blackmon each chipped in with 11 points for the Bears.

Hunter Ware (11 points) and Gus Riley (11 points) also scored in double figures for the Bulldogs.

Trailing 28-25 with 4:47 remaining in the opening half, the Bears went on a 16-2 run to end the half and pull ahead by a 41-30 margin at intermission. King and Kuakumensah each had five points in the spurt.

Brown continued its streak to open the second half, scoring the first four points to pull ahead by a 45-30 margin following a jump shot by Blackmon just two minutes into the half.

With the Bears holding a 54-40 lead at the 12:42 mark, the Bulldogs held the Bears to just one point over the next five minutes to trail, 55-50, with 7:21 left in the game.

Two free throws by Kuakumensah put the Bears back up by 10 points, 64-54, with a minute left in the game. 

Bryant pulled to within five points, 65-60, on a Starks trey, but two free throws by Spieth and two more by Blackmon iced the game for the Bears.

Brown travels downtown to the Dunkin Donuts Center to battle Providence College on Monday, December 8 in its final game of the fall semester.  The game will be televised live on Fox Sports 1 with tip-off at 9:15pm.