The 15th-seeded Bryant men’s basketball team will face off against top-ranked No. 2 seed Michigan State in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championships South Region on Friday, March 21. The game is set to tip at 10:00 p.m. and will be broadcast on TBS.
Bryant fans with plans to attend the game in Cleveland can participate in a pre-game event hosted by Bryant Alumni from 6:00-9:00 p.m. at Southern Tier Brewery. For those unable to make the trip, regional watch parties have been organized in Providence, Boston, and New York.
This will be the first meeting between Bryant and Michigan State in program history. The Bulldogs have a record of 0-13 against Big Ten schools, including a recent loss to Rutgers on Nov. 12, 2023.
Bryant is making its second trip to March Madness after earning an automatic bid as the champion of the Northeast Conference in 2022. In their previous NCAA Tournament appearance, they lost to Wright State 93-82 in the First Four in Dayton, Ohio.
In a recent win for Bryant, Reggie Lewis Tournament Most Outstanding Player Earl Timberlake led the team to a 79-59 victory over Maine in the America East Championship. This marks the first championship title for Bryant in the conference and caps off a sweep of regular season and postseason championships.
The Bulldogs are currently ranked No. 24 in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25, with Phil Martelli Jr. being named the NABC Mid-Atlantic Coach of the Year on March 18.
Key players for Bryant include Earl Timberlake, who has been named both America East Player of the Year and Tournament Most Outstanding Player; Keyshawn Mitchell, who has posted double-doubles in each of their last two games; Barry Evans, who has scored in double figures in each of his last nine games; and Connor Withers, a veteran player with 1,200+ points, 700+ rebounds, 300+ assists, 150+ blocks, and 175+ steals.
Source: https://bryantbulldogs.com/news/2025/3/19/mens-basketball-bryant-set-to-face-michigan-state-friday-night-in-cleveland.aspx