Tuesday night, the state of Rhode Island finally got the matchup it had been waiting 11 years for, but Providence made sure everyone knew who runs the show, taking down Bryant 78-55. This wasn’t just a game; it was a renewal of a rivalry that saw the Friars extend their unbeaten streak against the Bulldogs to a dominant 6-0.
Dominance on the Court and in the History Books
The scoreboard tells a clear story: Providence led from start to finish, holding a double-digit lead for a huge chunk of the game. Devin Vanterpool absolutely lit it up for the Friars, leading all scorers with 21 points, and Malik Mack wasn’t far behind, adding 19 points of his own. Both guys were draining threes, each hitting three from downtown. For Bryant, Duane Thompson tried to keep them in it, putting up 15 points, but it wasn’t enough. Providence now sits at a strong 2-1 on the season, while Bryant is looking to turn things around at 1-3. The last time these two programs even shared a court was way back on December 12, 2015, and Providence won that one too, 74-67. So yeah, the Friars have had their number for a minute.
Even with the long break, both programs have seen success. Providence has made it to six NCAA Tournaments, and Bryant has punched their ticket twice, with their most recent appearance in 2025. You’d think that would close the gap, but the numbers don’t lie. Providence head coach Bryan Hodgson nailed it when he said, “Any game within close proximity like this has some sort of different level of intensity to it. When you’re another Division-I basketball program and you’re down the road, you know you feel some type of way towards that other program, right? That’s just human nature.” Bryant head coach Jamion Christian also recognized the moment, calling it “a great platform for us,” and a “great way for us to celebrate basketball in the state of Rhode Island.” He even claimed both programs have the two best records in the state over the last five years, adding fuel to this simmering rivalry.
Big Opportunities, Even in a Loss
For Providence, this game was a crucial bounce-back after a tough 67-58 loss to Nebraska just days before. They needed this win, and they got it. For Bryant, though the scoreboard wasn’t pretty, this was still a massive opportunity. As a member of the America East, competing against a power-conference program like Providence is invaluable. Christian showed real gratitude for getting this game scheduled, highlighting how these matchups are key for their growth. He wasn’t pulling any punches, saying, “If you want to be a great team and play in March, you can never be scared. We want to be able to judge ourselves against the very best teams. That’s the most important thing that we can do. I always want to put our team in that position where we’ve prepared the right way. Win or lose, we’ve prepared.”
They’re not shying away from competition, either. Bryant has other tough non-conference games coming up against Rutgers, Kentucky, George Mason, Fordham, and even another Rhode Island foe in Brown. Thompson, Elijah Crispin, and Onyx Nnani all had big moments against Providence, showing flashes of what they can do. Plus, they were missing Georgia Tech transfer Eric Chatfield Jr., who’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Coach Christian is confident that once they’re at full strength, the Bulldogs are going to be a very strong team.
Bryant has a quick turnaround, with a game against Rutgers on Friday. That’s another big non-conference challenge where they’ll be looking to show that grit Christian talks about, especially with Chatfield Jr. potentially returning. The Bulldogs want to be a great team that plays in March, and games like this, even the tough losses, are all about getting them ready for conference play and beyond. You know Christian and his squad are going to be fired up to prove they can beat a team like Providence eventually.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply