No. 18 Richard Bland Wins At No. 20 Bryant & Stratton 82-65

NORFOLK, Va. -- Sophomore Robert Smith/Hampton and freshman Ryan Jones/Smithfield each scored 16 points to lead No. 18 Richard Bland College to an 82-65 Region 10 men's basketball victory past No. 20 Bryant & Stratton College on Wednesday night at Maury High School in Norfolk.  Smith added nine rebounds, while Jones added four rebounds, three assists and three steals for the visiting and nationally-ranked Statesmen (16-5, 10-3), who have won five-straight games, against the host and nationally-ranked Bobcats (14-6, 10-3).

Richard Bland trailed 35-34 at halftime before outscoring Bryant & Stratton 48-30 in the second half of the NJCAA Division II Top 20 contest. 

Sophomore Tim Bing Jr./Suitland, Maryland finished with 11 points, seven rebounds and three assists, redshirt-freshman Miodrag Dronjak/Kladovo, Serbia had nine points on a trio of three-point field goals, while sophomores Stanley Taylor/Petersburg and Deon Joyner/North Charleston, South Carolina each had eight points.  Joyner added eight rebounds and Taylor added six rebounds.  Sophomore Ricky Hicks/Bronx, New York contributed six points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals to the road victory.

Richard Bland and Bryant & Stratton were playing for the eighth time in the sport of men's basketball, and the Statesmen continue to lead the series, 5-3. 

Richard Bland will be idle for a week until playing again on the road at Region 10 member and No. 14 Louisburg College next Wednesday, February 7, at 7 p.m. in Louisburg, North Carolina.