PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WJAR) — Bulldog Nation is loud and proud Friday night as Bryant University’s men’s basketball team takes the court in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
From watch parties in Providence, to celebrations in Cleveland, fans are rallying behind the underdogs as they face off against Michigan State.
At GPub on Orange Street in Providence, the university’s alumni association hosted a watch party Friday night packed with graduates, students and supporters, all decked out in black and gold.
“Hey, I’m excited, man. It’s been a long time since we’ve been to the NCAA,” said Bryant junior Jordi Songe. “Hopefully we can make an impact tonight and go Bulldogs!”
Jacob Marrocco with the Bryant Alumni Association, said the Bulldogs are embracing their identity as underdogs.
“They’ve got a lot of grit — and that underdog mentality goes a long way,” Morocco said. “Or the under-bulldog mentality, I should say.”
Alumni Tammy and Scott Hipsman, both of whom graduated in the early 2000’s, said it’s been emotional to watch Bryant return to the tournament stage.
“It’s been forever since they’ve been there, right? So it’s a pretty cool thing,” Scott Hipsman said.
“I actually cheered for Bryant when I was there, so they’ve come quite a long way,” Tammy Hipsman added.
In Smithfield, Parente’s Restaurant & Bar — located just steps from campus — Bulldog pride covered every inch of the walls. Banners, framed jerseys and photos fill the restaurant, a tribute to a four-decade connection between the bar and Bryant athletes.
“We’ve been here for 42 years, and we’ve had zero problems with anyone from Bryant,” said owner Dennis Parente. “They’ve got a tough opponent tonight — Michigan State’s a top 10 team — so it’s going to be a tough order. But they’re a good team.”
Despite the distance from Cleveland, where the game is being played, fans say the team isn’t short on encouragement.
“We’ve got celebration in Cleveland going on, so they know — they’ve got so much support,” Morocco said.
And with that support comes hope — the kind that March Madness is made for.
“Hey, it’s March,” Songe said. “Anything can happen.”
