SMITHFIELD, R.I. -- America East Basketball is here.

After two months of non-conference play, the Bulldogs begin their quest for a America East title. The women open their 16-game slate New Years Day at home against New Hampshire, while the men face Maine in a rematch of last year's title game Saturday in Orono. 

The Tip

• Bryant women's and men's basketball begin America East play this week. 
• The women will host UNH (Jan. 1) and Maine (Jan. 3).
• The men visit Maine on January 3.

What's at Stake

• Eight teams qualify for the America East Playoffs, with the champion receiving the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
• The top four seeds host quarterfinal games, with the semifinals and finals being played at home sites of the highest remaining seeds.

How to Watch

• Tickets for all Bryant women's and men's home games are available at BryantTickets.com.
• Home games are on Thursday nights and Saturday afternoons.
• All America East games are also streamed on ESPN+.

Year Four in the America East

• Bryant begins its fourth season of America East play this week.
• Both the women and the men have qualified for the playoffs in each of the first three years.
• The women have hosted a quarterfinal game in each of the last two seasons, reaching the America East Semifinals for the first time last March.
• The Bryant men are the defending America East Regular Season and Tournament champions, posting a 14-2 conference record before defeating UMBC, UAlbany and Maine to win the title.
• Bryant is 33-15 in America East play, posting a 25-6 record over the last two seasons.

Bryant Women Off to Hot Start

• Bryant enters league play as one of the league's top teams, posting a 10-3 mark in non-conference.
• The 10 non-conf wins are the most in program history and include a victory over ACC member Boston College.
• Bryant currently ranks second in the league in scoring (70.0) and defense (53.5), holding opponents to a league-best .354 field goal percentage.
• Bryant also ranks first in three point field goal percentage (37.2), rebounding (37.3) and assists (16.5).
• Mia Mancini is enjoying a breakout year for the Bulldogs, ranking fifth in the league in scoring (14.8) and first in assists (4.7).
• Nia Scott is averaging nearly a double-double with 12.9 ppg and 9.2 rpg.

Bryant Men Embracing Fresh Start

• The Bulldog men welcome the New Year and a fresh start after a 4-10 mark in non-conference play.
• Bryant is one of the nation's most inexperienced teams but hopes that its core group of freshmen take the next step in league play.
• Despite the record, the Black and Gold rank second in the league in scoring defense (72.1) and field goal defense (.434).
• Aaron Davis III and Timofei Rudovskii have been two of the league's premier three-point shooters. Davis is shooting 40 percent, which would rank him second in the league but he does not have enough attempts to qualify. 
• Rudovskii ranks fourth at 37 percent and also ranks 10th in the league in scoring, 14th in rebounding, 17th in assists and fourth in steals.