Where is Bryant University? And who is Bryant?
The Bryant Bulldogs are the first-round opponent in March Madness of Michigan State basketball.
The teams meet Friday at 10 p.m. in Cleveland in a South region matchup. The 2-seed Spartans are favored by 17½ points over the 15-seed Bulldogs.
Here’s what you need to know about Bryant University.
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Where is Bryant?
Bryant University is a private institution located in Smithfield, Rhode Island.
What to know about Bryant basketball
Bryant is making its second NCAA tournament appearance and is coached by Phil Martelli Jr., who is in his second season.
Bryant plays in the America East Conference, alongside teams such as Vermont and Maine. Its first season playing Division I basketball was 2008-09.
Bryant made its first-ever NCAA tournament in 2022 as a 16-seed, but lost in the First Four to Wright State.
The Bulldogs this season went 23-11 overall and 14-2 in conference play to earn the No. 1 seed in the America East tournament. They defeated UMBC (85-74), UAlbany (91-78) and Maine (79-59) in the final to earn the conference’s automatic qualifying bid to the NCAA tournament.
The Bulldogs played two teams that made the March Madness field this season, losing to St. John’s 99-77 on Dec. 11 and losing at Grand Canyon 112-66 on Dec. 30.
Senior 6-foot-6 guard Rafael Pinzon is the Bulldogs’ leading scorer at 18.5 points per game.
Bryant University by the numbers
Here are some facts to know about Bryant, according to U.S. News and World Report.
- Founded: 1863.
- Undergraduate enrollment: 3,240 (fall 2023).
- Tuition and fees: $52,677.
- Campus: Suburban setting, 428 acres.
- Focus: Business, liberal arts and STEM.
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