BROOKLYN – Pratt Institute's fast break created a late 11-0 run that followed a 9-0 run in earning a 58-46 win over visiting Cooper Union Tuesday night in non-conference men's basketball play at the Pratt ARC.
Cannoneers forward Ari Grant finished two blocks shy of a triple double, scoring 11 points to go along with a game-high 14 rebounds, career-high eight blocks, six steals and five assists. Freshman guard Andrew Yaglenski sparked first and second half runs, totaling 19 points and four boards, and junior guard Mehmet Doganata led all players with a career-best 21 points, 15 in the second half.
The Hawks controlled the first 10 minutes of play, taking an 11-5 lead on a Vlad Ciocoi layup with 13:53 left in the first. Pratt chipped away, with a three-pointer, free throw and layup from Yaglenski all in a span of 1:40 swinging the lead in Pratt's favor, 15-13 with 9:04 left in the frame. The Cannoneers never trailed the remainder of the half, with Grant earning his fourth rejection of the period on a Ciocoi jumper from the block just before the buzzer, and Pratt entered the half leading 23-20.
Like the visitors did in the first half, Cooper Union controlled the first several minutes, rattling off a 10-3 run to open the frame. A pair of Stephen Tang layups and an Andre Kovalev jumper sent the Hawks up 30-26 with 13:40 to play. As he did in the first, Yaglenski broke the tie and this time put the game out of reach.
Trailing 32-31 just inside the 11:00 mark, three straight Yaglenski baskets in a 53 second span lifted Pratt to a 37-32 lead during a 9-0 run capped by a Doganata layup. After Cooper cut the margin four at 41-37, an 11-0 run featuring eight points -- six on fast breaks -- from Dognata lay-ins, created Pratt's largest lead at 52-37.
In all, the Cannoneers scored 16 fast break points, 10 late in the second half, compared to only four for the Hawks. In large part to Pratt's transition game, the Cannoneers outscored the Hawks 36-22 in the paint.
For Cooper Union, Ciocoi led the way with a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Pratt returns to play Thursday night in HVIAC play at 8:30, playing host to Vaughn College.
