SMITHFIELD, R.I. – It's been a grueling start to the season for Yale, which has already played nine games in a 20-day stretch. The Bulldogs, though, have answered the challenge in a big way, perhaps never more so than Wednesday night at Bryant.

Javier Duren and Justin Sears led four players in double figures with 15 points apiece as Yale knocked off Bryant 67-60 at the Chace Athletic Center. Jack Montague and Matt Townsend both scored 11 points.

It may not have been the prettiest win of the season but it was certainly well deserved.

"We've had a really hard stretch and it's taken its toll," said James Jones, The Joel E. Smilow, Class of 1954 Head Coach of Men's Basketball. "We weren't as sharp tonight as we've been, but we bounced back. That's the sign of a good team."

Add in that it is the final week of classes for the semester and final exams are approaching, and Wednesday's win becomes even more impressive.

"You have to learn to compartmentalize," Duren said of the difficult stretch. "Fortunately we are all going through the same thing so it brings us together."

The Bulldogs have won seven of their last eight games, and at 7-2 overall are off to their best start since 2011-12 team began 8-2.

The road doesn't get any easier. Yale plays at defending national champion UConn on Friday and is at Final Four participant Florida on Monday.

The win was similar to last Sunday's over Hartford. The Bulldogs broke open a close game with a strong start to the second half. Leading 33-28 at the break, Yale seized control with a 9-2 run coming out of the locker room.

"We got our wake-up call," Jones said. "We started sharing the ball. I thought Javier was tremendous."

In addition to his 15 points, Duren matched his career high with seven assists and committed only one turnover in 34 very productive minutes.

The lead grew to 17, 54-37, when Greg Kelley drained a three-pointer midway through the second half.

"Halftime was really emotional," Duren said. "The guys came out ready to go and our effort was exceptional."

Bryant (1-4) made a late run, pulling within five in the final 10 seconds, but two Duren free throws with six seconds left sealed it.

Dyami Starks almost single-handedly kept Bryant in the game. He was 8-of-12 from the field and finished with a game-high 23 points.

Yale had a 38-28 rebounding edge. Armani Cotton led the way with eight boards and Sears pulled down seven.

The Bulldogs shot 46 percent from the field and held Bryant to 41.8 percent.

Friday's game at UConn is a 7 p.m. tip. It will be televised on SNY and also available on ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app.

Report filed by Tim Bennett (timothy.bennett@yale.edu), Yale Sports Publicity