If you want to win the America East, you better be prepared to do battle with the Vermont Catamounts, who have owned that league for a long time. The Bryant Bulldogs were prepared for that as they won the America East regular season and went into the conference tournament with a home-court advantage. Bryant got a gift when Maine beat Vermont in the tournament semifinals. Bryant was a bad matchup for Maine, and the Bulldogs won, going away to claim the 15th autobid into the NCAA tournament out of the America East conference.
Job finished. @mgtapes pic.twitter.com/qnCBj9NCW5
— Bryant Men's Basketball (@BryantHoops) March 16, 2025
Bryant is making their second appearance in the NCAA Tournament, but first as a member of the America East. 2021-2022 was the last time the Bulldogs made the tournament with Jared Grasso as their head coach and a Northeast Conference member. Grasso is no longer at Bryant, and the new coach is Phil Martelli Jr. Bryant plays the same style and has finally taken their grasp of the America East and provided some much-needed competition for the Catamounts.
Bryant was given a 15 seed in the NCAA tournament and are hoping that they can stay around a while longer this time. The Bulldogs do some things that put pressure on every team they play. That won’t change just because they are a lower seed in the tournament. 15 seeds have won a game in 3 out of the last 4 tournaments and the Bulldogs hope they can be the next one to do it. Here are some reasons they can win a game in the NCAA Tournament.
Rebounding
Bryant is one of the best rebounding teams in the country. They are not just great on the defensive glass but are excellent on the offensive glass as well. Coach Martelli has his guys all run to the rim when a shot goes up. That has resulted in Bryant hauling in 41 rebounds per game, which is the 4th best number in the country. Bryant hauls in 14 offensive rebounds a night, which is good for 13th overall in the country. That’s right, an America East team is a better rebounding team than most Power Five schools. It helps that the Bulldogs have a lot of size and can throw their weight around.
They won’t be undersized against anyone they play. The Bulldogs play a style where rebounding is imperative to their success. They play fast and love to get out in transition, and they get out in transition by securing the rebound and throwing it up the court for easy baskets. Don’t sleep on Bryant because if you do, they will box out, secure the ball, and then off to the races.
Earl Timberlake
The last time Bryant made the tournament they had a former power five player who came to Bryant and led the country in scoring. His name was Peter Kiss. This year, Timberlake won the America East Player of the Year and is playing like the top 40 recruit that he was out of high school when he chose to attend Miami. Timberlake is all over the floor when the Bulldogs play. The forward averages 16 points per game, 8.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks. He does everything for Bryant and best believes if the Bulldogs are going to win a game, he is going to be at the center of it. The forward rarely leaves the floor, doesn’t shoot threes, and shoots over 50% from the floor. The point forward is a tough guard and one that you can’t lose on the floor. He can beat teams by himself, and he is very capable of a triple-double.
Protect the Rim
I do believe this Bryant team would have success in a bigger conference in addition to winning the America East. They do a lot of things well and are great at a few things. We already know their rebounding prowess, but let’s focus now on their ability to protect the rim. The Bulldogs are an elite shot-blocking team. They come in third in the country in blocks at 6 per game, and every one of the starters can block a shot, and 3 out 5 starters average over 1 block per game. How do you stay in a game against a higher-seeded team? Rebound and protect the rim. Blocking shots is another function of how Bryant plays, they block the shot, get a rebound, and get out in transition. It’s all part of it, and it is extremely fun to watch.
There is always a team on the lower seed lines that keeps a game far closer than it should be, and 3 out of the last 4 years, that team has won a game. Bryant is that team this year. They are a tough matchup because of their ability to block shots and rebound, and they average over 80 points per game. Earl Timberlake is an NBA-type talent who is thriving in the fast-paced style that Bryant likes to play. The Bulldogs are a scary 15 seed.