Timberlake's big night lifts Bryant past Maine, 71-53

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Earl Timberlake finished with 18 points, 14 rebounds and five assists to pace the Bryant University men's basketball team to a 71-53 victory over Maine on Wednesday night at the Chace Athletic Center.

The win snaps a two-game skid for the Bulldogs and pushes their record to 14-8 overall and 5-4 in the America East. Bryant improved to 8-2 at home this season.

Timberlake completed his sixth double-double of the year with 18 points and 14 rebounds in 35 minutes. He added five assists. Sherif Gross-Bullock chipped in 16 points, five rebounds and four assists, while Charles Pride has 14 points, five rebounds, four assists and four steals.

Game Information
Bryant 71, Maine 53
Records: Bryant 14-8, 5-4 AE | Maine 9-13, 3-6 AE
Location: Chace Athletic Center (Smithfield, R.I.)
Attendance: 750

Key Moments

• Leading by one at the half, the Bulldogs opened the second half on a 14-0 run, holding the Black Bears without a point for the first 6:15.

How it Happened

• Bryant won the opening tap and proceded to score the first 10 points of the game. SGB energized the home crowd in his return after missing a game, throwing down a thunderous one-handed slam.
• SGB would score nine of Bryant's first 14 points, as the Bulldogs led 14-7 at the 14:12 mark. Pride scored the other five for the Black and Gold.
• Pride reached a milestone at the 8:55 mark of the first half, corralling a rebound and finishing a floater to make it 20-12. The rebound was his 700^th career rebound, making him just the third player in DI program history to reach the mark.
• Timberlake would help the Bulldogs keep the lead at 10 with a pair of drives through the paint before the Black Bears pulled within five, 28-23, at the 2:55 mark.
• Maine was able to make it a two-point game, 28-26, with a three-point from the wing. The Black Bears then canned a three with 2.1 seconds left in the half.
• Bryant took a 30-29 to the break.
• The Black and Gold opened the second half with an offensive surge, energized by SGB. He drilled a wing three before finishing at the rim for the first five points.
• A putback by Timberlake and three free throws from Tyler Brelsford made it a 40-29 game at the 16:30 mark.
• Bryant's run to start the second half stretched to 14 as Timberlake finished an alley-oop from Pride at the 14:49 mark.
• Pride finished an and-1 at the 12:28 mark, dribbling behind his back before finishing through contact.
• Doug Edert and Kvonn Cramer teamed up to bring the house down minutes later. Off a high screen, Edert lobbed it high and Cramer threw it down with a one-handed slam.
• Timberlake added another emphatic slam as he corralled a rebound and then went end-to-end, finishing hard with his left hand to make it 67-48 with 3:33 left.

Stats

• Bryant finished 28-of-59 (47.5 percent) from the field, 5-of-23 (21.7 percent) from three and 10-of-11 (.900 percent) from the line.
• Bryant held a 37-25 advantage on the glass.
• The Bulldogs produced nine steals and caused 18 Maine turnovers.
• Timberlake finished with 18 points, 14 rebounds and five assists. He was 8-of-10 from the field.
• Pride posted 14 points, five rebounds, four assists and four steals.
• Gross-Bullock finished with 16 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals. He turned it over just once.
• Walker posted seven rebounds to go along with six points.
• Edert posted eight points.

Game Notes

• Bryant and Maine were meeting for the first time in program history.
• The Bulldogs improved to 8-2 at home this season and 32-4 at home since the start of 2020-21.
• Pride surpassed 700 career rebounds on Wednesday. He joins Alex Francis and Dan Garvin as the only players in DI program history to accomplish the feat.
• Pride now has 1,444 points and 704 rebounds in his career.
• Pride has now scored in double-figures in 72 times in his career.
• Pride has now made 72-of-82 (.878) from the line this year, the best in the America East.
• Pride has now made 22-of-43 (.512) from three over his last seven games.
• Timberlake finished in double-figures for the 16^th time this season and the 22^nd time in his career.
• Timberlake finished with his sixth double-double of the season, tied for the team lead.
• Timberlake's 14 rebounds are a new career high.
• Gross-Bullock returned to the lineup after missing the Binghamton game. He scored in double-figures for the 19^th time this season and the 41^st time in his career.

Up Next
The Bulldogs wrap up their two-game homestand on Saturday afternoon against New Hampshire. Tip is set for 1:02 p.m.