Pinzon, Edert lift Bryant to 2OT win over Towson, 101-93

ELMONT, N.Y. – Rafael Pinzon scored a team-high 28 points and six finished in double figures as the Bryant University men's basketball team used a total team effort to earn an excilliriating 99-89 double-overtime victory over Towson on Saturday afternoon at Holiday Hoopfest at UBS Arena.

With the win, the Bulldogs improve to 7-6 overall and wrap up their five-game road swing with a 3-2 record. Bryant returns to the Chace on Friday, December 22 against Drexel.

On Saturday, the Bulldogs never blinked despite trailing by four with 7.0 seconds left in regulation. Pinzon would hit a three with 4.3 seconds left and then Doug Edert was fouled at midcourt on his way up, sending him to the line for three free throws with just 3.1 seconds left. Edert would calmly sink all three and send the game to overtime.

Bryant would trail by three in the first overtime as well before answering and finally pulled away in the second overtime, scoring the first nine points.

Pinzon finished with a career-high 28 on 11-of-22 shooting in 46 minutes. Edert added 20 points on 11-of-13 shooting from the line. Timberlake finished with 15 points, nine rebounds, six assists and two blocks, while Daniel Rivera had 16 points, six rebounds, three assists, six blocks and two steals. Connor Withers added 11 points, eight rebounds, six assists, two blocks and three steals. Tyler Brelsford chipped in 11 points, three rebounds, three assists and just one turnover in 44 minutes  

Game Information
Bryant 101, Towson 93
Records: Bryant 7-6 | Towson 5-6
Location: UBS Arena (Elmont, N.Y.)
Attendance: 400

Key Moments

• Pinzon hit a three with 4.3 seconds left and Edert calmly sank three free throws to rally Bryant back from four down with 7.0 seconds to go in regulation.
• Bryant then scored the first nine points of the second overtime, sparked by a Pinzon pullup, to pull away.

How it Happened

• Bryant jumped out a quick lead as it hit 6-of-8 to start, including three-straight threes. Brelsford hit back-to-back triples and Withers knocked down his own to make it 15-6 with 15:19 to play.
• Edert would hit from three to give Bryant a 22-14 lead at the 10:53 mark.
• Bryant's edge would jump to 10 as Timberlake went to work in the paint.
• The Tigers, however, would go on a 18-4 over the final 6:14 to take a 37-33 lead to the locker room.
• Bryant would storm back in front early in the second half behind Withers and Pinzon. Withers hit a bank shot, Pinzon drilled a three and Withers converted a traditional three-point play to make it 43-41 at the 15:46 mark.
• The Bulldogs' lead would stay in the single digits, with a Withers three and a Pinzon layup making it 54-48 with 12:16 left.
• A wing three from Edert made it a four-point game with 9:32 to play but the Tigers responded with a 9-2 run to take a 62-59 lead at the under-8 media.
• The run would balloon to 13-2 out of the timeout, giving Towson its largest lead of the afternoon, 66-59, with 6:28 to play.
• Bryant and Towson would go on a prolonged scoring drought as neither scored and the game went to the under-4.
• The final two minutes then played out. Down eight, Bryant scored six-straight to make it tight. Pinzon and Timberlake both finished inside to make it 65-67 with 58 seconds left.
• The teams would trade free throws and Bryant got the ball back down three but called timeout without any, resulting in a technical. Towson made 1-of-2 and Pinzon was able to sink a three with 4.3 seconds left.
• The Tigers would then hit both free throws to take a three-point lead. Bryant inbounded the ball to Edert and Towson tried to foul him before going up but instead fouled him shooting a three.
• Edert calmly sank all three free throws to tie the game and send it to overtime.
• In the first overtime, Edert gave Bryant an 81-79 lead but a technical foul was called for a flop. Towson would score the next six, taking an 84-81 lead on a three with 1:36 left.
• Edert then canned two free throws and Pinzon gave Bryant the lead with a steal and finish.
• Towson would tie the game with 11 seconds left, hitting 1-of-2 from the line. Bryant's attempt on the other end was blocked to send the game to double OT.
• In the second overtime, Bryant scored the first nine points. Pinzon opened the scoring with a smooth pullup from the foul line. Rivera then finished inside and Pinzon canned two more free throws.
• Rivera backed his man down for his second bucket of overtime and Brelsford canned a 1-of-2 to make it 94-85 with 2:10 left.
• Bryant would then put the game away at the line, closing out a 101-93 victory.

Stats

• Bryant finished 33-of-70 (47.1 percent) from the field, 10-of-23 (43.5 percent) from three and 25-of-38 (65.8 percent) from the line.
• Towson held a 61-35 edge in total rebounds and a 25-7 edge in offensive rebounds.
• Bryant blocked 10 shots in the game.
• Pinzon posted 28 points on 11-of-22 shooting. He was 3-of-7 from three and added four rebounds and two assists. He turned the ball over just twice in 46 minutes.
• Timberlake finished with 15 points (6-9), nine rebounds, six assists and two blocks.
• Withers posted 11 points, eight rebounds, six assists, two blocks and three steals.
• Rivera finished with 16 points, six rebounds, three assists and six blocks.
• Edert added 20 points (11-of-13 from the line). He was 3-of-6 from three.
• brelsford gave Bryant six in double figures with 11. He turned the ball over just once in 44 minutes. 

Game Notes

• The Bulldogs and Tigers were meeting for the second-straight season. Bryant has won both meetings.
• Bryant finished with 20+ assists for third time this season.
• Bryant played two overtimes for the first time since Jan. 14, 2017 against Sacred Heart.
• Bryant played parts of overtime without three of its starters as Timberlake, Withers and Rivera all fouled out.
• The Black and Gold had six players finish in double figures for the first time in DI program history.
• Withers finished in double figures for the third-straight game and for the 35^th time in his career.
• Timberlake finished in double figures for the 10th time this year and the 37^th time in his career.
• Pinzon scored in double figures for the ninth time this year and the 16^th time in his career.
• Pinzon's 28 points were a career high and his second 20-point game of the year.
• Edert scored 20 points for the first time this season and the third time in his career.
• The 11 made free throws are a career high for Edert.
• Rivera scored in double figures for the eighth time this year.
• Rivera blocked 5+ shots for the second time this season.
• Brelsford scored in double figures for the fifth this season and the 15^th time in his career.

Up Next
Bryant returns to the Chace Athletic Center for the first time in nearly a month when it hosts Drexel on December 22. Tip is set for 11:00 a.m.