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Smithfield, RI -- After falling just short last year in its first taste of NEC Championship Tuesday, it was mission accomplished for Bryant this evening.

The Bulldogs scored early and often and never looked back, racing to a 70-43 win over Wagner (21-6), and in the process, securing the the program's first-ever NEC basketball crown and punching its initial ticket to the NCAA Tournament.

Bryant (22-9) was led by NEC Tournament MVP Peter Kiss, who scored a game-high 34 points on 13-23 shooting overall and 4-5 from outside the arc. The 34 points tied for the ninth-highest single-game total in NEC Tournament history.

Charles Pride added 13 points and 17 boards for the Black and Gold in his second double-double of the playoffs and tenth of the season. The 17 boards tied for sixth on the league's all-time postseason list.

Bryant big Hall Elisias served as the catalyst of a suffocating Bulldog defensive effort, matching a career-high with eight blocks while altering a number of Wagner attempts in the paint.

After Wagner scored the first bucket of the game, Bryant reeled off 11 straight points with six coming from Pride and five from Kiss.

The lead eventually ballooned to 36-6 late in the first half as the Bulldogs held Wagner without a field goal for 11:17.

Bryant took a 38-12 lead into intermission and the Seahawks were unable to cut the lead under 21 for the remainder of the game.

Bryant held the Seahawks to 29.3 percent shooting from the field, including an icy 5-24 (.208) in the first half 

Raekwon Rogers led Wagner with 12 points and Jahbril Price Noel added 10.

Bryant will now await its NCAA opponent, which will be revealed this Sunday at 6:00 pm on CBS.

NEC All-Tournament Team
Peter Kiss, BRY (MVP)
Charles Pride, BRY 
Hall Elisias, BRY
Alex Morales, WC
Ty Flowers, LIU