Bryant basketball is the last remaining undefeated team in the America East. But can the Bulldogs ride the momentum to their second-ever NCAA Tournament?
Vermont has dominated the America East in the last eight seasons. The Catamounts have won or shared the regular season title each of the last eight seasons, winning seven of those outright. They have also won the conference tournament six times over that span. Only Hartford and UMBC knocked the Catamounts off the pedestal. But after three games, an unlikely name sits atop the conference standings.
The 2024-2025 season is Bryant basketball’s third in the America East. While they finished 11-5 in conference play last season, it still put them four games behind the Catamounts who finished 15-1 in conference play. Before the move to the America East, the Bulldogs spent 13 seasons in the NEC, making the NCAA Tournament in their final season.
At 3-0 in conference play, Bryant basketball is the lone remaining undefeated team in the America East. With an overall record of 9-9, the Bulldogs do not jump off the page at you and at times this season they have struggled to keep games close. Bryant has blowout losses to three prospective tournament teams, Grand Canyon, St Johns, and St. Bonaventure. However, in the other six losses, the Bulldogs have lost by an average of 3 points.
Even though Bryant basketball is only 9-9 on the season, they are currently ranked as the best team in the America East, at 165th in the NCAA’s NET rankings. UMass Lowell, Maine, and Vermont are the only one-loss teams in the conference and are also ranked in that order according to the NET rankings. This makes Bryant’s upcoming matchup with the River Hawks of UMass Lowell even more important, in their quest to stay atop the conference standings. Especially considering that the regular season champion earns home-court advantage in the conference tournament.
Bryant is also one of the fastest teams in the country, ranked 6th in adjusted tempo, according to Kenpom. This means that per 40 minutes of game time, Bryant is averaging 73.5 possessions per game. However, with this fast pace, Bryant has struggled to control the ball. They turn the ball over more than 13 times per game, which ranks the Bulldogs outside of the top 275 in the country.
But even with the turnover issue, the pace has created problems for some of their opponents this season. For example in Thursday’s win over UAlbany, the Bulldogs led by six at halftime. Then, just over six minutes into the second half, Bryant basketball had scored 17 points and extended the lead to 15, nearly putting the game away. In that win, the Bulldogs only had nine turnovers, which was the second straight game in which they had fewer than 10.
It also forced problems for the reigning conference champions last week, when Bryant basketball dominated Vermont. In the 73-53 win, Bryant shot 40% from behind the arc, going 11-27. The Bulldogs only turned the ball over a season-best six times, while forcing the Catamounts into 17 turnovers. This performance alone should prove that the Bulldogs are a legitimate contender, but they have an opportunity to further demonstrate their ability against UMass Lowell.
The Bulldogs share the wealth very well, with four players averaging in double figures. They are led by Rafael Pinzon, who is averaging 17.7 points per game, while leading the country in three-point percentage, of those who qualify, at 48.1%. Earl Timberlake is not far behind his teammate with 16.6 points per game. Those four players are all averaging over 32 minutes per game, making them one of the most consistent starting rotations in the country.
The question looms, can the Bulldogs dethrone the reigning conference champions?
Yes, but Bryant is not the only competitor in the conference. Early in conference play, the top end of the America East has proven that they will beat up on each other. But if the Bulldogs can develop their ability to flip close games in their favor and limit their turnovers, they might be a problem in the conference tournament.
Up next for Bryant (9-9, 3-0): vs. UMass Lowell (13-5, 2-1) – Jan. 18 at 4 p.m.