Bryant’s Chemistry Shows in America East Regular Season Clincher

The top-seeded Bryant men’s basketball team hosts No. 8 seed UMBC in the quarterfinals of the 2025 Jersey Mike’s America East Men’s Basketball Playoffs on Saturday, March 8. Tip is set for 4:00 p.m.

Tickets for Saturday’s game are available at BryantBulldogs.com/tickets.

The Particulars
Opponent: No. 8 UMBC
Location: Chace Athletic Center (Smithfield, R.I.)
Date and Time: Saturday, Mar. 8 – 4:00 PM
Live Stats: Sidearm
Watch: ESPN+
Tickets: Buy Now
Game Notes: Bryant | UMBC
Social Media: Facebook | X | Instagram | #AEMBB

THE SERIES
Bryant owns a 4-2 lead in the Division I series and has won each of the last four meetings. That includes 92-86 and 81-79 victories this season.
Four of the six meetings have been decided by four points or less.
In the first meeting in January, Bryant led by seven at the half but then had to rally from four points down in the second half. Aaron Davis hit a pair of huge threes and Rafael Pinzon gave the Bulldogs the lead for good with a three at 3:51 mark.
In Smithfield, UMBC had a shot to win at the buzzer fall short as the Bulldogs held on. Keyshawn Mitchell recorded four-straight points to break late 75-75 tie.
JERSEY MIKE’S AMERICA EAST MEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS
Bryant will serve as the No. 1 seed for the first time in the America East, ending Vermont’s eight-year run as the No. 1 seed.
Vermont will be the No. 2 seed after winning its final nine regular season games to finish 13-3 in the league.
Maine is the three seed, it’s highest seed since 2010-11 season. The Black Bears posted their most overall and conference wins since 2009-10.
UAlbany is a top four seed for the first time since 2018 and will host No. 5 seed Binghamton (third-straight year as the No. 5 seed).
UMass Lowell has reached the AE Championship game in three of the last four years and will be the No. 6 seed.
UNH has reached the semifinals in each of the last two years and will be the No. 7 seed.
UMBC serves as the No. 8 seed.
BRYANT POSTSEASON HISTORY
Bryant has qualified for the a conference tournament for the 11th time and are 6-9 overall. The Bulldogs have advanced to the semifinals in three of the last four conference tournaments and have reached the semis four times in DI program history.
The Bulldogs have reached the championship game twice (2020-21 and 2021-22). Bryant won its only conference title (Northeast Conference) in 2021-22.
This will mark the second time (2021-22) that the Black and Gold have been the No. 1 seed.
Bryant is 6-3 at home in the postseason.
BACK-TO-BACK 20-WIN SEASONS
With Tuesday’s win over New Hampshire in the regular season finale, the Bulldogs have now won 20+ games in back-to-back seasons and three times in the last four years.
It marks the first time in DI program history they’ve won 20+ games in back-to-back years and the first time in program history since the Black and Gold won 20+ in four-straight years from 2003-07.
In two seasons under head coach Phil Martelli Jr., Bryant has posted a 40-24 overall record and a 25-7 record in the America East.
FIVE MORE THINGS TO KNOW
Earl Timberlake closed out a historic regular season as the only player in America East history, and just the second in NCAA history, to record 15.0+ ppg, 8.0+ rpg, 4.5+ apg and 1.5+ bpg in a single season (per Sports Reference). He currently ranks 9th in the league in scoring, 2nd in rebounding, T-1st in assists and 3rd in blocks.
Rafael Pinzon led Bryant with 17 points vs New Hampshire and closed the regular season 2nd in the league with 18.6 ppg. He averaged 18.4 ppg (3rd) in America East play. Pinzon now has 520 total points this year, tying him for 10th in a single season in DI program history with Adam Grant.
Keyshawn Mitchell recorded one of the best games of his young career in the regular season finale vs New Hampshire, finishing with 16 points, a career high 14 rebounds and a career high five blocks. It marked his fifth double-double of the year and boosted his season average to 6.5 rebounds per game. Mitchell leads the AE with 2.7 offensive rebounds per game on the year.
Connor Withers gives the Black and Gold a wealth of experience and will appear in his 146th game on Saturday. He closed out the regular season by flirting with a triple double of nine points, nine rebounds and eight assists. He ranks fifth in the AE with 3.9 apg in conference games and fourth in blocks with 1.4. Withers’ career numbers includes 1,216 points, 717 rebounds, 308 assists, 166 blocks and 181 steals. He joins Vermont’s Marques Blakely as the only two players in America East history to record those numbers. Withers is just one of 11 players in NCAA history to put up those numbers.
Barry Evans posted his 25th (in 28 games) double-digit scoring effort of the year vs UNH. This comes after he posted just two double-digit efforts in 65 games over two seasons at St. Bonaventure. Evans enters the postseason averaging 13.1 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 2.6 apg and 1.4 spg.
The postseason bonus note centers around Bryant’s ability to block shots. Bryant is averaging 6.0 blocks per game (3rd nationally) overall and 7.06 blocks per game in 16 league games. The Black and Gold join Siena (1986-87 and 1987-88) as the only two teams in America East history to record back-to-back seasons with 6.0+ bpg. Bryant blocked a league record 213 shots last season (6.5 per game).