The Bryant Bulldogs are gearing up for only their second NCAA March Madness tournament. However, they have a tall task in front of them. The No. 15 seed Bulldogs will need to knock off the No. 2 seed Michigan State Spartans if they hope to get into the second round.
The last time we saw the Bulldogs in March Madness came back in 2022, as they lost to the No. 16 ranked Wright State in the First Four. The Bulldogs are still looking for that coveted first tournament win, and if they can pull it off today, it will be one of the biggest upsets in tournament history. So, what do you need to know about the Bryant Bulldogs?
Where are the Bryant Bulldogs Located? What To Know of Michigan State’s NCAA Tournament Opponent
The Bryant Bulldogs are a private institution located in Smithfield, Rhode Island. The school was founded in 1863. It originally only taught bookkeeping and other methods of business communication. It got its name from its founders, John Collins Bryant and Henry Beadman Bryant.
There are currently only 3,751 students enrolled, making it one of the smaller colleges in the March Madness tournament. However, that doesn’t phase them as Bryant looks to get its first tournament win after making it to only its second NCAA Tournament in school history.
The men’s basketball team is coached by Phil Martelli Jr., who is in his second season. In his first two years as a head coach with Bryant, Martelli Jr. has an overall record of 43 wins and 24 losses. They have a much more impressive conference record, as Martelli Jr. has coached them to a fantastic record of 25 wins and just seven losses.
Martelli Jr. is the son of legendary college basketball coach Phil Martelli. He spent 24 years as the head coach of St. Joseph’s in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and five years as the associated head coach at Michigan. Martelli Jr. hopes to follow in his father’s footsteps, and he’s off to a great start.
This season, the dogs are 23-1,1 overall and 14-2 in conference play. They were the No. 1 seed in the America East tournament. In the final, they defeated UMBC, UAlbany, and Maine to earn the conference’s automatic qualifying bid to the NCAA tournament.
KEEP READING: Bryant vs. Michigan State Prediction: Can Bryant Pull Off a Cinderella Upset?
For the Bulldogs to get past Michigan State, they’ll need another big game from Rafael Pinzon, their guard. Pinzon is Bryant’s leading scorer, and he has averaged 18.5 points per game. Earl Timberlake is another of the team’s main players, leading the team with 8.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.8 blocks.
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