The Bryant Bulldogs men's basketball team represents Bryant University in NCAA Division I men's basketball. The team currently competes in the America East Conference. They are led by head coach Jamion Christian and play their home games at the Chace Athletic Center. The Bulldogs have appeared twice in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, most recently in 2025.
History
Bryant University competed in the NAIA as an NAIA independent program from 1963 until 1976 as the Bryant College Indians before the college became a member of the NCAA Division II level in 1977. Bryant's most successful season during the college's tenure in the NAIA came in the 1966–67 season when the team recorded an undefeated regular season, going 22–0 before losing the final two games of the 1966–67 season in the District 32 Tournament. The 22–2 overall record was the team's best during the NAIA years. The 22 wins set a team high win streak that still stands as a school record as of 2012. And the 22 total wins was not eclipsed until the 2003–04 season.
Within a few seasons of transitioning to NCAA Division II, the college became a charter member of the Northeast-10 Conference in 1980.
In 2008, Bryant began the transition to Division I with former Ohio University coach Tim O'Shea. The 2012–13 season marked the first year Bryant was eligible for the postseason, in which they qualified for the 2013 College Basketball Invitational.
In 2015, Bryant University assistant basketball coach Chris Burns came out as gay, making him the first openly gay coach in Division I men's basketball.
O'Shea retired following the 2017–18 season and Jared Grasso was named head coach on April 2, 2018. Grasso orchestrated one of the nation's best turnarounds in his first season in Smithfield, improving the Bulldogs to a 10-win total after inheriting a squad that went 3–28 the prior season. Grasso was named a finalist for the Joe B. Hall Coach of the Year Award, given to the nation's top first-year head coach. The Bulldogs would continue to improve in 2019–20, rising to 15 victories including a win over Fordham in December. Grasso would then lead the Bulldogs to back-to-back Northeast Conference Championship games in 2020-21 and 2021–22, as well as winning the school's first ever NEC regular season championship in 2022. The 2022 NEC Championship game against Wagner resulted in not only Bryant winning their first ever NEC tournament championship, but they also clinched their first appearance in the NCAA Division I Tournament. This was Bryant's last season in the NEC, as the team moved to the America East Conference.
Bryant won the America East regular season title and America East Playoffs for the first time during the 2024-25 season, taking down Maine 77-59 in the final to clinch an NCAA Tournament berth.
Conference affiliations NAIA Independent – 1963–64 to 1975–76 NCAA Division II Independent – 1976–77 to 1979–80 Northeast-10 Conference – 1980–81 to 2007–08 Northeast Conference – 2008–09 to 2021–22 America East Conference – 2022–23 to Present
Postseason
NCAA Division I Tournament results Bryant has made two appearances in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, with an overall record of 0–2.
2022 16 First Four No. 16 Wright State L 82–93 2025 No. 15 First Round No. 2 Michigan State L 62–87
NCAA Division II Tournament results The Bulldogs have appeared in seven NCAA Division II Tournaments. Their combined record is 10–9.
1978 Regional semifinalsRegional 3rd-place game MerrimackBridgeport L 91–116L 85–89 1980 Regional semifinalsRegional 3rd-place game SpringfieldQuinnipiac L 78–91L 97–102 2004 Regional QuarterfinalsRegional semifinalsRegional Finals C.W. PostNew York TechUMass Lowell W 65–63W 64–60L 62–63 2005 Regional QuarterfinalsRegional semifinalsRegional FinalsElite EightFinal FourNational Championship Game AdelphiBloomfieldBentleyMount OliveTarleton StateVirginia Union W 69–48W 76–59W 74–64W 84–69W 60–55L 58–63 2006 Regional Quarterfinals UMass Lowell L 67–77 2007 Regional QuarterfinalsRegional semifinalsRegional Finals AdelphiSaint RoseBentley W 77–55W 65–62L 54–63 2008 Regional QuarterfinalsRegional semifinals C.W. PostBentley W 63–56L 41–60
NAIA Tournament results The Bulldogs have appeared in one NAIA Tournament. Their record is 0–1.
1975 First round Winona State L 72–93
CBI results The Bulldogs have appeared twice in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI). Their record is 0–2.
2013 First round Richmond L 71–76 2021 First round Coastal Carolina L 82–93
Season by Season Record {| class="wikitable"
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Note: From 2008 to 2012 Bryant was ineligible for NCAA post season play during transition to NCAA Division I.
References
External links