Bryant set to face Towson in Holiday Hoopfest at UBS Arena

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University men's basketball wraps up a season-long five-game road trip on Saturday when it faces Towson at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y., as part of Holiday Hoopfest presented by the Gazelle Group.

Bryant and Towson tip off a tripleheader of action at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday afternoon at the home of the New York Islanders. Rhode Island and Delaware will meet at 4:30 p.m., while Saint Joseph's and Iona meet at 7:00 p.m.

The Particulars
Opponent: Towson
Location: UBS Arena (Elmont, N.Y.)
Date and Time: Saturday, Dec. 16 - 2:00 PM EST 
Live Stats: Stat Broadcast
Watch: FloSports
Game Notes: Bryant | Towson
Social Media: Facebook | X | Instagram | #AEMBB

THE SERIES
Bryant and Towson are meeting for the second-straight season. The Bulldogs earned a 69-59 victory in the first-ever meeting between the programs last December in Smithfield. Tyler Brelsford and Chauncey Hawkins IV combined for 25 points off the bench to spark the Bulldogs. Earl Timberlake paced Bryant with 16 points in the win.       

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. 

MR. WITHERS
Connor Withers enters the weekend on a tear over the last four games. After scoring a career-high 32 points at Stony Brook, Withers followed up with a team-high 15 points at Cincinnati on Tuesday. Over his last four, Withers is averaging 15.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 1.5 apg, 1.5 bpg and 2.0 spg.   

NATIONAL RANKINGS
Bryant enters Saturday ranked seventh nationally with 6.5 blocks per game and 17th nationally in field goal percentage defense (38.0 percent).  

FIVE MORE THINGS TO KNOW

1. Bryant is making its second trip to Long Island in a week. Saturday's game will be even closer to home for Timmy Kiggins, Aaron Davis and Greg Cantwell.  
2. Sherif Gross-Bullock is averaging a team-best 16.1 ppg. He has scored in double-figures in all but three games this season.   
3. Earl Timberlake has done a little bit of everything this year, entering Saturday averaging 12.2 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 4.1 apg and 1.6 bpg. He has five games with 10+ rebounds and has flirted with a triple-double on two occasions. Timberlake is averaging 3.0 blocks per game over his last four games.    
4. Daniel Rivera was limited to just 13 minutes on Tuesday at Cincinnati due to foul trouble. Rivera, however, is still averaging 10.8 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.8 apg and 1.9 bpg.
5. Tyler Brelsford is coming off one of his best games of the season at Cincinnati as he finished with 10 points and four assists. He's now averaging a career-high 6.8 ppg this season.                                 

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