With two NCAA men’s basketball tournament appearances in the last four seasons, the Bryant Bulldogs have emerged as a low major force a decade-plus after transitioning up from Division II. With Providence, Brown and URI all flailing, they’re also Rhode Island’s lone hope at hardwood glory this March.

Bryant is located in Smithfield, Rhode Island — a town of about 22,000 people just northwest of Providence. Like all of the Ocean State, it’s less than a half hour drive to anywhere else within state limits.

Its campus is also home to a steep hill roughly two miles into a state championship cross country course that has crushed at least as many dreams of high school runners as accidentally liking an Instagram post from eight months ago.

FOLLOW THE MADNESS: NCAA men’s tournament bracket, scores, schedules, teams and more.