Connor Withers led the way with 19 points as the Bryant men’s basketball team raced past the University of Vermont, 73-53, on Saturday afternoon at the Chace Athletic Center. With the win, the Bulldogs improve to 8-9 overall and 2-0 in the America East. Saturday marked Bryant’s first win over the Catamounts since joining the league two years ago. Bryant returns to the court on Thursday night (Jan. 16) when it visits UAlbany. Bryant trailed 24-14 with 8:21 left in the first half but outscored Vermont 43-8 over the next 17 minutes of gameplay to grab a 57-32 lead with 11:21 left in the second half. The Bulldogs held the Catamounts to 4-of-16 from the field and turned them over 11 times during the stretch. Withers paced the Black and Gold with 19 points 8-of-14 shooting from the field. He added four rebounds, two assists and two steals. Barry Evans (5-7 FG) and Rafael Pinzon (5-17 FG) each finished with 13 points, while Earl Timberlake added 12 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals. Game Information Bryant 73, Vermont 53 Records: Bryant 8-9, 2-0 | Vermont 9-9, 2-1 Location: Chace Athletic Center (Smithfield, RI) Attendance: 857 Key Moments Withers scored seven straight points to give Bryant its first lead and kickstart the 43-8 run that put the game out of reach. How it Happened Vermont threw the first punch on Saturday, scoring the first seven points and holding Bryant without a field goal for the first 4:30 of the contest. The Catamounts would hold a 15-5 lead at the 12:00 mark, holding Bryant to 2-of-13 from the field to start. Bryant and Vermont then traded threes on six consecutive possessions, with Withers hitting fromn deep to pull Bryant within seven, 17-24. Pinzon then sank his first three of the afternoon out of the under-8 media to pull Bryant within four, 20-24. Pinzon would hit again from three as the Bulldogs pulled within one, 25-26, thanks to an 11-2 run. Withers’ second three of the game, this one from the corner, gave Bryant a 28-26 lead with 3:57 left. The three would spark a 7-0 run by Withers to give the Bulldogs a 32-26 lead with 3:09 left. An Evans three with 1:10 left would give Bryant a 37-30 lead at the break, with the Black and Gold closing the half on a 23-6 run. After starting 2-of-13, Bryant closed the half making 12-of-18 from the field over the final 12 minutes. Withers would keep it going in the second half, hitting a turnaround hook shot before turning a steal into a two-handed slam at the other end. Timberlake and Evans would then finish through contact to push Bryant’s lead to 53-32 with 13:00 left. Cramer would then throw down an alley-oop dunk to put the crowd into a frenzy. Another finish from Cramer would give the Bulldogs a 57-32 lead with 11:19 left. Bryant opened the game up by starting the second half 10-of-16 from the field, while holding the Catamounts to a 1-of-8 start. The Black and Gold were able to put the game away in the second half, pushing their lead to as many as 27 (64-37) on a Pinzon stepback three with 6:48 left. Stats Bryant finished the game 29-of-65 (44.6 percent) from the field, 11-of-27 (40.7 percent) from three and 4-of-6 (66.7 percent) from the line. UVM held a slim 34-33 edge on the glass. Bryant posted 14 assists, 11 steals and turned the ball over just six times. The Black and Gold also held UVM to nine offensive rebounds (UVM had 17 in a win at UML on Thursday). Withers led all scorers with 19 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the field and 3-of-7 from three. He also had four boards, two assists and two steals. Evans finished with 13 points, seven boards and four assists. Pinzon posted 13 points on 3-of-8 shooting from three. Timberlake collected 12 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals in 36 minutes. Bryant held UVM’s leading scorer, TJ Hurley, scoreless. Game Notes Bryant picked up its first victory in five tries against the Catamounts in America East play. It’s also Bryant’s first win over the Catamounts since November 16, 2013. Bryant’s 20-point victory marks Vermont largest defeat in league since it lost by 21 at Maine on Feb. 27, 2005. Bryant improves to 4-2 at home this year and is 48-12 at home since the start of the 2020-21 season. The Black and Gold are 2-0 in league play for the second straight year. Timberlake finished in double figures for the 14th time this year and the 67th time in his career. Timberlake recorded 4+ assists for the 9th time this year. He becomes the sixth player in DI program history to record 260+ career assists. Timberlake’s four steals were a season high and one shy of his career high. Evans finished in double figures for the 15th time in 17 games this year. Withers finished in double figures for the 7th time this year and the 44th time in his career. His 19 points were his most against at DI opponent this season. Pinzon finished in double figures for the 12th time this year and the 41st time in his career. Up Next Bryant hits the road for the first time in conference play when it visits UAlbany next Thursday (Jan. 16). Tip is set for 6:30 p.m. Categories: Sports