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.
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 1966âÂÂ67 season when the team recorded an undefeated regular season, going 22âÂÂ0 before losing the final two games of the 1966âÂÂ67 season in the District 32 Tournament. The 22âÂÂ2 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 2003âÂÂ04 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 2012âÂÂ13 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 2017âÂÂ18 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 3âÂÂ28 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 2019âÂÂ20, 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 2021âÂÂ22, 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.
Bryant has made two appearances in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, with an overall record of 0âÂÂ2.
The Bulldogs have appeared in seven NCAA Division II Tournaments. Their combined record is 10âÂÂ9.
The Bulldogs have appeared in one NAIA Tournament. Their record is 0âÂÂ1.
The Bulldogs have appeared twice in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI). Their record is 0âÂÂ2.