ALBANY, N.Y. (Interstat) — In a matchup of teams seeking traction in the America East Conference, the Albany Great Danes used a dominant first-half performance and a commanding inside presence to roll past the Bryant Bulldogs 71-46 in men’s college basketball on Saturday afternoon at SEFCU Arena.

The most important part of the game was Albany’s immediate and overwhelming control established from the opening tip. The Great Danes, fueled by efficient offense and stifling defense, built a double-digit lead within the first seven minutes and never looked back, effectively deciding the contest long before halftime.

Albany set the tone early, scoring the game’s first five points. After Bryant’s Timofei Rudovskii hit a three-pointer to make it 5-3, the Great Danes unleashed a 10-0 run, capped by an Isaac Abidde three-pointer and consecutive driving layups from Amir Lindsey, to take a 15-3 lead with 15:53 remaining in the first half. Bryant struggled to find any offensive rhythm against Albany’s active defense, which contested shots and controlled the glass.

The Great Danes continued to pour it on, extending their lead to 24-9 after a dunk from Okechukwu Okeke with 11:46 left in the half. Albany’s ball movement and interior scoring proved too much, as they consistently found high-percentage shots close to the basket. While Bryant’s Rudovskii tried to keep his team afloat with a series of difficult jump shots, the Bulldogs could not string together enough stops to mount a serious challenge.

Albany took a commanding 41-34 lead into the locker room at halftime, having shot over 50% from the field while holding Bryant to just 34 points on 27% shooting. The second half offered no respite for the visitors. Albany opened with a quick 4-0 spurt to push the lead to 45-34, and the margin ballooned to 20 points at 56-36 after an Okeke dunk with 9:47 to play. Bryant’s offensive woes only deepened after halftime, managing just 12 points on 5-of-30 shooting in the final 20 minutes.

Albany’s victory was a comprehensive effort built on efficiency and defense. The Great Danes scored 71 points on just 59 possessions, an offensive rating of 120.1, and outscored Bryant 38-14 in the paint. They also held a significant advantage in fast-break points, 9-3. Conversely, Bryant’s offensive rating was a meager 77.2, as they finished 15 of 55 from the field and 6 of 30 from three-point range.

Okechukwu Okeke led Albany with a double-double, scoring 15 points and grabbing 10 rebounds to go with three blocks. Amir Lindsey was the game’s high scorer with 21 points and added four assists. Zach Matulu contributed 13 points, six rebounds and four assists, while Isaac Abidde also posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

For Bryant, Timofei Rudovskii shouldered the offensive load, scoring 20 points and collecting five rebounds. No other Bulldog reached double figures, with Aaron Davis and Jakai Robinson each adding nine points.

The win improved both Albany and Bryant to identical 5-12 overall records. According to Interstat’s ELO system, Bryant had entered the game with a 56.6% probability to win, and Albany had been a 1.5-point pregame favorite. The total score of 117 fell well under the over/under line of 138.

Albany next hosts Binghamton on Thursday. Bryant returns home to face Maryland-Baltimore County, also on Thursday. The two teams will meet again in Smithfield, Rhode Island, on Feb. 5.