Bryant knocks off No. 10 FAU on Saturday night, 61-52

BOCA RATON – Sherif Gross-Bullock and Earl Timberlake posted double-doubles to lead the Bryant University men's basketball team to its first-ever victory over a top 10 team, 61-52 over Florida Atlantic on Saturday night.

The win is Bryant's first over a top-10 team and its first-ever against a ranked opponent in DI program history. Bryant also snapped FAU's 19-game home winning streak.

Gross-Bullock finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds, while Timberlake posted 13 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and three steals. Daniel Rivera collected 12 points and seven rebounds, while Rafael Pinzon added 10 points.

Game Information
Bryant 61, No. 10 FAU 52
Records: Bryant 2-3 | No. 10 FAU 2-1
Location: Baldwin Gymnasium (Boca Raton, Fla.)
Attendance: 3,161

Key Moments

• Gross-Bullock and Pinzon hit back-to-back threes to give Bryant a lead that it wouldn't relinquish.

How it Happened

• FAU opened the game quickly, scoring off the opening tip and jumping out to a 10-2 advantage at the first media timeout.
• Bryant erased the deficit with an 11-0 run between the two media timeouts. Gross-Bullock drilled a pair of threes and Pinzon capped the run with a triple from the top to give Bryant a 13-11 lead at the 12:54 mark.
• FAU was able to end the run with a three from the wing to take a 14-13 lead into the under-12 media timeout.
• Both teams would struggle from the field for a portion of the first half, with FAU taking an 18-15 lead to the under-8 media. The Bulldogs went 3:21 without a point during the stretch.
• Bryant would find itself down seven, 22-15, but answered with an 8-0 run to take a 23-22 lead at the under-4 media. Timberlake and Rivera both had tough finishes inside before Pinzon canned a pair of free throws.
• The Bulldogs would take a 26-24 lead with 2:11 left as Rivera drilled a corner three.
• FAU would tie the game with an offensive putback and take a three-point lead to break on a triple from Alijah Martin.
• Rivera would spark the Bulldogs in the second half with an emphatic dunk over 7-1 Vlad Goldin.
• Timberlake would then tie the game at 31-31 with an athletic and-one.
• Bryant then grabbed the lead on back-to-back threes from Gross-Bullock and Pinzon. The two triples made it 37-33 with 16:02 left.
• Timberlake would extend the run to eight before a pair of FAU free throws.
• FAU would pull within four, 41-37, before Gross-Bullock hit nothing but nylon from the right wing to push the Bryant lead to seven.
• Withers then hit a triple from the top and finished a putback inside to give Bryant a 10-point lead, 51-41, with 7:32 left.
• Bryant's lead would grow to 12 on two occasions but the Owls made it a nine-point game, 55-46, with 3:56 to go.
• The Black and Gold would then close out the victory from the free throw line.

Stats

• Bryant finished the game 22-of-63 (34.9 percent) from the field, 8-of-29 (27.6 percent) from three and 9-of-13 (69.2 percent) from the line.
• Bryant outrebounded FAU, 49-47.
• The Bulldogs also had 17 second-chance points and held a 28-22 advantage on points in the paint.
• Bryant held FAU to 26 percent from the field and just 17 percent (5-of-30) from three.
• Gross-Bullock finished with 19 points on 6-of-14 shooting from the field. He was 4-of-10 from three. He added 11 rebounds and two assists.
• Timberlake posted a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds. He also added five assists and three steals in 39 minutes.
• Rivera chipped in 12 points and seven rebounds.
• Pinzon added 10 points.
• Withers finished with seven points and seven rebounds.  

Game Notes

• Bryant and FAU were meeting for the second-straight year.
• The Bulldogs were facing a top-10 team for the first time since the opened the 2016-17 season at No. 5 Duke.
• Bryant defeated a nationally-ranked opponent for the first time in DI program history. It was the first victory over a top 10 team by an America East school since 2018.
• Gross-Bullock scored in double-figures for the 51st time in his career.
• Gross-Bullock posted his third-career double-double. The 11 rebounds tied his career high.
• Pinzon scored in double figures for the fourth-straight game and for the 11th time in his career.
• Timberlake posted his second-straight double-double and the third of the year. He has 12 in his career.
• Timberlake now has four games with 11+ rebounds.
• Timberlake also has 4+ assists in four of Bryant's five games. He's averaging 4.8 assists per game.

Up Next
Bryant returns to the Chace Athletic Center on Monday night to face Howard. Tip is set for 7:00 p.m.