Bulldogs fall at Vermont on Saturday

BURLINGTON, Vt. – The Bryant University men's basketball team fell to Vermont, 65-48, on Saturday night at Patrick Gymnasium.

With the loss, the Bulldogs fall to 17-11 overall and 9-4 in America East play. Bryant is now in third place and will face second-place UMass Lowell on Thursday in Lowell.

Bryant led 27-25 at the half on Saturday but the Catamounts held the Black to 9-of-31 shooting in the second half, outscoring them 40-21.

Daniel Rivera led Bryant with 14 points, while Earl Timberlake posted his 11^th double-double of the year with 13 points and 15 rebounds. He added six assists.

Game Information
Vermont 65, Bryant 48
Records: Bryant 17-11, 9-4 AE | Vermont 23-6, 13-1 AE
Location: Patrick Gymnasium (Burlington, Vt.)
Attendance:

Key Moments

• UVM turned a seven-point Bryant lead around with a 31-12 run that spanned 14 minutes of the second half. The Catamounts went 6-of-11 from three during the stretch.

How it Happened

• Sherif Gross-Bullock scored the first points of the night with a left wing three but Bryant would miss its next five shots in a 1-of-6 start.
• Vermont would take a 7-3 lead into the first media timeout following a TJ Long three from the top.
• Bryant rallied back behind back-to-back threes from Connor Withers and Rafael Pinzon. Withers took a kick out from Pinzon before hitting a triple from in front of the Vermont bench. Pinzon then took a step back and knocked down a three from the opposite corner to make it 11-7.
• The Bulldogs would lead 13-8 before the Catamounts ripped off a 9-0 run and led 17-13.
• Rivera would tie the game with back-to-back baskets. He finished a baseline cut with a two-handed slam before slipping to the hoop for two more.
• Brelsford would then give Bryant a 20-17 lead as he knocked down a three from in front of the UVM bench.
• The Catamounts would score the next eight to take a 25-20 lead with 2:51 to play. Matt Veretto sank three free throws to give the Catamounts the lead and Long hit his third three of the half to make it 25-20.
• Bryant, however, would hold the Catamounts scoreless for the final 2:51, ending the half on a 7-0 run. Gross-Bullock started the run with a runner off the glass and Timberlake tied the score with his first three-point field goal of the year.
• The Black and Gold then got a stop defensively and Gross-Bullock was able to find Rivera underneath for a basket with nine seconds remaining, making it 27-25 at the break.
• Withers sank his second three to start the second half and Rivera finished at the rim to give Bryant a seven-point edge, 34-27.
• Long then hit back-to-back threes, his fourth and fifth of the night, to make it a one-point game, 34-33, with 15:46 left.
• Vermont would come back to take a five-point lead on back-to-back threes from Aaron Deloney and Long. The shots gave UVM a 43-38 lead with 12:20 left.
• Vermont built its biggest lead of the night, 58-46, on back-to-back threes from Deloney.
• The Catamounts would close it out from there, holding Bryant 9-of-31 from the field and 1-of-10 from three in the second half.

Stats

• Bryant finished 19-of-60 (31.7 percent) from the field, 6-of-24 (25.0 percent) from three and 4-of-4 (1.000) from the line.
• UVM held a 45-38 edge in rebounding.
• The Catamounts finished 9-of-31 from three, making 6-of-14 in the second half.
• Rivera posted 14 points on 5-of-11 from the field. He added eight rebounds.
• Timberlake collected his 11^th double-double with 13 points and 14 rebounds. He added six assists and three blocks.
• Gross-Bullock posted nine points and four rebounds.
• Wither collected six points and five boards.

Game Notes

• Vermont owns a 5-1 lead in the all-time series, winning all four America East matchups.
• Timberlake finished in double figures for the 25^th time this year and the 52nd time in his career.
• Timberlake posted his 11^th double-double of the year and the 20^th of his career.
• Timberlake's 15 rebounds marked a new career high, surpassing his previous high of 14.
• Timberlake also surpassed 1,000 points for his collegiate career.
• A game after surpassing 1,500 career points, Gross-Bullock scored his 1,000 point as a Bulldog on Saturday.
• Rivera finished in double figures for the 18^th time this season.

Up Next
Bryant heads to UMass Lowell next Thursday, Feb. 29. Tip is set for 6:30 p.m.