PHILADELPHIA – Rafael Pinzon and Earl Timberlake combined for 54 points as the Bryant men's basketball team closed its seven-game road trip with a hard-fought 78-73 victory over Drexel on Monday night at the Daskalakis Athletic Center.

With the win, the Bulldogs closed their trip with a 4-3 record and are now 5-4 overall on the year. Bryant returns to the Chace Athletic Center for the first time in over a month when it hosts Brown on Friday (Dec. 6) at 6:00 p.m.

Pinzon finished with 31 points on 11-of-17 shooting from the field and 4-of-6 from three. Timberlake added a double-double of 23 points and 12 rebounds. Kvonn Cramer also finished in double figures with 11.

Bryant led by as many as 15 in the second half before Drexel rallied to tie the game with 2:30 left. Pinzon then scored 11 of Bryant's 14 points to lift the Bulldogs to the win.

Game Information
Bryant 78, Drexel 73
Records: Bryant 5-4 | Drexel 5-4
Location: Daskalakis Athletic Center (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Attendance: 1061

Key Moments

• Pinzon converted an and-1 to break a 64-64 tie with 2:02 left and would go on to score 11 of Bryant's final 14 points.

How it Happened

• Bryant got off to a strong start behind the duo of Pinzon and Cramer. Pinzon sank each of his first two from three, while Cramer finished a dump off from Pinzon and then hit a floater in the lane.
• The Bulldogs pushed their lead to eight, 12-4, just 4:25 into the game on a pair of free throws from Withers.
• Drexel responded with an 8-4 run to cut Bryant's lead to 16-12 at the under-12 media.
• Cramer added another exclamation point to make it 18-14. Bryant just beat the five-second inbounds as Withers heaved it to Timberlake at half court. Timberlake then found Cramer who threw it down visciously with two hands.
• The Dragons came back to tie the game at 20-20, making 4-of-5 from the field.
• Pinzon quickly answered for the Black and Gold, scoring the next five points to give Bryant the lead back. He swished a three from the wing before hitting a floater in the lane.
• Drexel would again rally, taking its first lead of the half, 31-30, as Kobe MaGee hit a three as the shot clock expired.
• Timberlake would answer for Bryant, finishing at the rim on the following two possesions to give the Bulldogs the lead back. Pinzon's fourth three of the half would make it 37-31 with under a minute to play.
• Bryant took a 37-32 lead into the break.
• The Bulldogs opened the second half with a 14-4 run to open up a 51-36 lead.
• Timberlake scored the first four points before Pinzon posted the next six with a variety of floaters and drives to make it 44-34.
• A three-point play from Timberlake was then followed by a breakaway slam from Withers to make it 51-36 with 13:31 to play.
• Drexel would pull closer with a 14-8 run heading into the under-8 media. Bryant remained on top, 59-50.
• The run would hit 24-8 and tie the game at 60-60. Drexel tied the game with back-to-back threes. Bryant went 2-of-15 from the field during Drexel's tying run.
• Bryant regained the lead, 62-60, with under four minutes to go as Cramer finished at the rim off an assist from Pinzon.
• The game would be tied again at 64-64 when Pinzon took the game over. Pinzon knocked down a baseline jumper while being fouled for an And-1 and then turned a steal into a bucket on the next Drexel possession. He then made it 71-66 with a drive to the hoop for the score.
• Bryant would close it out from the line, sinking its final six free throws.

Stats

• Bryant finished the game 27-of-61 (44.3 percent) from the field, 4-of-17 (23.5 percent) from three and 20-of-31 (64.5 percent) from the line.
• Bryant was outrebounded 43-40.
• Bryant turned the ball over just six times and held a 40-30 edge in the paint.
• Pinzon led all scorers with 31 points on 11-of-17 shooting. He was 4-of-6 from three and didn't turn the ball over in 35 minutes.
• Timberlake picked up a double-double with 23 points (9-16) and 12 rebounds. He added four assists.
• Cramer added 11 points and six rebounds in his first start of the year.
• Withers chipped in eight points and three assists.
• Barry Evans was held to three points but collected 10 boards.

Game Notes

• Bryant and Drexel were meeting for the second straight year and third time overall. The Bulldogs now own a 2-1 lead in the series.
• Bryant finished its season-long seven-game road trip with a 4-3 record.
• Pinzon recorded his 38^th career double-digit scoring effort. He has scored in double figures in all nine games.
• Pinzon notched his second 30-point effort and third 20-point effort of the year. He now has 10 career 20-point games and three career 30-point efforts.
• Pinzon has now hit at least four threes in each of the last three games. He is 12-of-17 (71 percent) in that stretch.
• Timberlake notched his 61st career double-digit scoring effort and his first 20-point game of the year. It is his 10^th career 20-point game.
• Timberlake's 23 points and 12 rebounds were both season highs.
• Timberlake now has 955 career points and 577 rebounds as a Bulldog.
• Timberlake's double-double was his third of the year and the 23^rd of his career.
• Evans recorded his third double-digit rebounding effort of the year.
• Cramer made his first start of the season. It was his first start since Jan. 28, 2023.
• Cramer finished in double figures for the third time this year.

Up Next
Bryant returns to the Chace Athletic Center for the first time in over a month when it hosts Brown on Friday night. Tip is set for 6:00 p.m.