Kino Lilly Jr. Hits Three-Pointer In Final Seconds, Lifts Brown Over Bryant In Smithfield

Brown University Press Release

SMITHFIELD, RI – Kino Lilly’s game-winning three-pointer with 2.2 seconds remaining gave the Brown men’s basketball team (6-3) a 76-75 win at Bryant (5-5) on Friday night.

The win for Brown was its fifth consecutive win and sixth in its last seven games, after starting 0-2, the Bears are now 6-3.

“That’s a fun way to start off a great weekend of college basketball in Rhode Island,” Head Men’s Basketball Coaching Chair Mike Martin ’04 said. “Hats off to Bryant, they’re tough to play against, I thought they did a great job making us uncomfortable in a number of ways, their defensive game on Kino Lilly Jr. was outstanding.”

Trailing 75-73, Lilly Jr. nailed a contested three-pointer to give the Bears the lead, the Bears held on after a missed jump shot by the Bulldogs. “This is what you play for,” Kino Lilly Jr. said. “This is what you spend all the time in the gym for and putting in the endless hours of work.”

In the first half, the Bulldogs outscored the Bears 40-36, Landon Lewis led all Brown scorers with 12 first half points on an efficient 5-6 shooting from the floor. Neither team could get far ahead in the opening frame, as both team’s biggest lead was six.

Brown’s biggest deficit of the second half was six points with 16:46 remaining, the rivals continued to trade baskets in the second stanza.

Trailing 74-72 with 17 seconds left, Landon Lewis hit one of two free throws to cut the Bryant lead to one. After Keyshawn Mitchell split two free throws at the other end, the stage was set for Brown’s all-time three-point leader.

Lilly Jr. finished with a game-high 23 points on 7-14 shooting (3-7 from three-point range), 18 of Lilly Jr.’s 23 points came in the second half, he went 3-3 from distance in the second half.

Landon Lewis finished with a career-high 21 points and five rebounds on 9-12 shooting from the floor as Aaron Cooley chipped in with 15 points on 7-14 shooting. The senior also grabbed seven rebounds.

“We have a long way to go,” Martin added. “But you don’t win in the two gym’s we just won in if you’re not a good team, I’m really pleased.”

Brown will be back in action on Tuesday, Dec. 10 when they welcome Rhode Island to the Pizzitola Sports Center, tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.