SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Earl Timberlake and Barry Evans each posted double-doubles as the Bryant basketball team raced to an 88-66 victory over NJIT on Thursday night at the Chace Athletic Center.

With the win, the Bulldogs improve to 16-10 overall and 10-1 in America East play. The Black and Gold wrap up their weekend with a home game vs UMBC on Saturday (Feb. 15). Tip is set for 1:00 p.m.
 
Timberlake finished with 21 points (10-11 FG) and 10 boards, while Evans added 15 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals. Connor Withers (12 pts, 7 ast, 3 stl), Kvonn Cramer (12 pts) and Rafael Pinzon (11 pts) all finished in double figures. Pinzon surpassed 1,000 career points with a second-half three-point field goal.
  
Game Information
Bryant 88, NJIT 66
Records: Bryant 16-10, 10-1 | NJIT 5-21, 2-9
Location: Chace Athletic Center (Smithfield, R.I.)
Attendance: 873

Key Moments

• Bryant used a 23-10 run over the final 10 minutes of the first half to build a 46-29 lead at the break.

How it Happened

• NJIT came out strong, hitting two early threes to build a 6-2 lead.
• Evans would score Bryant's first six points before Withers followed with five of his own. Withers knocked down two free throws and then sank a transition three to give the Bulldogs an 11-9 lead.
• Evans knocked down his second three of the night to make it a seven-point game (20-13) with 11:44 left.
• The Highlanders would cut the deficit to four before Bryant closed the half on a 23-10 run.
• The Black and Gold made 9-of-16 from the field and held the Highlanders to just 4-of-16 over the final 10:13 of the half.
• Evans got the run started with a steal and one-handed slam. Withers then rattled home a three to make it 32-24 with 7:36 left.
• Timberlake then brought the Chace to life as he threw down a one-handed hammer on his NJIT defender.
• Pinzon then found the scoreboard as he scored five quick points to push Bryant's lead to double digits, 42-29.
• The Bulldogs closed the half with a perfectly executed play that saw Timberlake find a curling Evans with a lob at the rim.
• Bryant led, 46-29, at the break.
• Timberlake opened the second half with four quick points as Bryant built its lead.
• Timberlake continued to pour it on as he had his way in the lane, surpassing the 20-point mark with a spin and finish with 10:35 left.
• Jakai Robinson would get into the act, scoring at the rim on consecutive trips to force an NJIT timeout.
• Cramer then brough the house down as he took an outlet from Evans and threw down a thunderous one-handed slam on his defender.
• Pinzon then took center stage as he drilled a three from the top with 4:22 left to surpass 1,000 career points.

Stats

• Bryant finished the game 37-of-69 (53.6 percent) from the field, 6-of-21 (28.6 percent) from three and 8-of-17 (47.1 percent) from the line.
• Bryant held a 44-40 edge on the glass.
• The Bulldogs had 19 assists and turned the ball over just eight times.
• Timberlake posted 21 points on 10-of-11 shooting from the floor. He added 10 boards, three assists and two blocks.
• Evans collected a double-double with 15 points and 10 boards. He added five assists and two steals.
• Withers posted 12 points, three boards, seven assists, three steals and two blocks.
• Cramer collected 12 points off the bench.
• Pinzon finished with 11 points on 3-of-6 shooting from three. He added three assists and two steals.

Game Notes

• Bryant improves to 7-1 vs NJIT at the DI level. The Bulldogs have won each of the last seven games in the series, including all six meetings as America East foes.
• The Bulldogs are now 7-3 at home this season. Bryant is 51-12 at home and 53-22 in league play since the start of the 2020-21 season.
• Bryant has now scored 80+ points in 8-of-11 league games. The Black and Gold own a league-best 14.9 scoring differential.
• Bryant blocked six shots and is averaging a league-best 7.2 blocks per game in league play.
• Timberlake recorded his 10^th double-double of the year and the 30^th of his career.
• Timberlake finished in double-figures for the 22nd time this season and the 75th time in his career.
• With 10 rebounds, Timberlake now has 715 in his career, passing Dan Garvin (710) for third in DI program history.
• Withers finished in double figures for the 15th time this year and the 55th time in his career.
• Withers has scored in double figures in all 11 AE games.
• Withers posted a season-high with seven assists. He is just 11 assists shy of 300 in his career.
• Evans posted his fifth double-double of the year. He has scored in double figures in 20 games this year and 22 times in his career.
• Evans matched his season high with five assists.
• Cramer finished in double figures in the seventh time this year and the 20^th time in his career.
• Pinzon finished in double figures for the 20^th time this year and the 49^th time in his career.
• Pinzon surpassed 1,000 career points in the game. He has scored 844 of his 1,001 career points as a Bulldog. 

Up Next
Bryant is back at home on Saturday (Feb. 15) to host UMBC. Tip is set for 1:00 p.m.