Bryant to ring in New Year at No. 24 Ole Miss on Sunday

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University men's basketball team returns to the court on New Year's Eve when it faces No. 24 Ole Miss in Oxford, Mississippi. Tip is set for 4:00 p.m. EST.

Sunday's game will be broadcast on SEC Network and can be streamed on ESPN+.

The Particulars
Opponent: No. 24 Ole Miss
Location: SJB Pavilion (Oxford, Miss.)
Date and Time: Sunday, Dec. 31 - 4:00 AM EST 
Live Stats: Stat Broadcast
TV: SEC Network
Watch: ESPN+
Game Notes: Bryant | Ole Miss
Social Media: Facebook | X | Instagram | #AEMBB

THE SERIES
Bryant and Ole Miss are meeting for the first time in program history. The Bulldogs are facing a member of the SEC for just the second time in program history. Bryant faced Georgia on Nov. 10, 2017.      

BRYANT KNOCKS OFF NO. 10 FAU
Bryant pulled off one of the biggest upsets in program history on Saturday night, ending 10th-ranked Florida Atlantic's 19-game home winning streak with a 61-52 victory. The Bulldogs were facing a veteran group that advanced to the 2023 Final Four. Bryant held FAU to just 5-of-30 from three. Sherif Gross-Bullock and Earl Timberlake paced the upset as each finished with a double-double. 

BULLDOGS TOPPLE DREXEL
The Black and Gold put together one of their best offensive performances in DI program history in a 104-86 victory over Drexel on Dec. 22 at the Chace. Bryant shot 62.9 percent from the field and set a single-game program record by making 68.2 percent of its three-point attempts.

TOPPING 100
Bryant has scored 100+ points in each of its last two games (101 vs Towson | 104 vs Drexel), marking the first time in DI program history that the Bulldogs have scored 100+ points in back-to-back games against DI opponents. The Bulldogs now lead the America East in scoring at 79.6 ppg.

NATIONAL RANKINGS
Bryant enters Sunday ranked fifth nationally with 6.7 blocks per game and 22nd nationally in field goal percentage defense (38.3 percent).  

TIMBERLAKE POSTS TRIPLE DOUBLE
Earl Timberlake posted his first-career triple-double and just the second in DI program history in Bryant's win over Drexel. He finished with 15 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists to join Peter Kiss as the only two players to accomplish the feat. 

FIVE MORE THINGS TO KNOW

1. Sherif Gross-Bullock returned to the Bryant lineup vs Drexel and went off for a season-high 29 points on 10-of-16 shooting. He was 5-of-8 from three and now ranks 24th nationally with 3.15 triples per game. 
2. Timberlake picked up his second-straight America East Player of the Week honor on Dec. 26 following his triple-double vs Drexel. He is now averaging 14.0 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 6.7 apg, 1.7 bpg and 1.3 spg over his last three.   
3. Connor Withers enters Sunday on a tear in December. Withers is currently averaging 12.7 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2.0 bpg and 2.5 spg in six games this month. That includes a 32-point effort at Stony Brook. Last game, Withers scored just three points but finished with five rebounds, four assists, four steals and four blocks.
4. Daniel Rivera is currently averaging 11.6 ppg, 6.6 rpg and 2.2 bpg for the Bulldogs. He is averaging 16.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg and 4.0 bpg over Bryant's last two contests. Rivera currently ranks 28th nationally in blocks per game.
5. Tyler Brelsford has posted 10+ points in each of the last three games and is averaging a career-high 7.6 ppg. Brelsford is 6-of-11 from three over the last three contests.
6. A bonus bullet goes to Rafael Pinzon who has posted back-to-back 20-point outings. He scored 28 vs Towson and added 20 against Drexel. Pinzon is now averaging 12.6 ppg this season.                                 

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