Bryant's stunning win shows that underdogs always have a shot in college hoops

Thinking out loud while realizing that the older I get, the earlier it gets late.

∎Let’s not forget the real fun of college basketball — David always has his shot against Goliath.

And Bryant had the biggest slingshot of the week, beating 10th-ranked and 2023 Final Four participant Florida Atlantic, 61-52, on Nov. 18. Forget the top 10 — it’s the first-ever win over a ranked opponent in program history for a team that has only been Division I since 2012.

What a week for Phil Martelli Jr. Become a D-I head coach for the first time. Beat a top-10 and final-four team. I don’t know about you, but I might go shopping for lottery tickets where Martelli gets his.

∎Speaking of "have a week:" Marquette, hello. The Golden Eagles became the first team in 40 years to beat collegiate titans UCLA and Kansas in back-to-back games and also became the first team to play the AP Nos. 1- and 2-ranked teams on back-to-back days in 51 years.

They did this at the Maui Invitational, held this year in Honolulu, before falling to Purdue in the finals. The Friars will (finally) make the trek to the Hawaiian Islands in 2025 looking for similar or better results.

And Providence will face Marquette at The AMP in their Big East opener in a little more than three weeks. Getcha’ popcorn ready.

But tall boys? Remember, Big Brother’s cameras will be watching you.

∎This years’ Friars team learned a little about themselves in the Bahamas last week. Defense can keep you in a game, and even win it for you — something last year's team often mis-remembered.

That defense, spearheaded by Devin Carter and Ticket Gaines, is rapidly improving. Garwey Dual is also becoming a pain to play against, hence his altercation with a K-State Wildcat that cost him a game of eligibility.

∎Rhody and Brown each experienced growing pains over the last week. URI lost twice to Power Six teams at Mohegan Sun, while the Bears took their shot at 16th-ranked USC and fell short. The Rams got a bounce-back against Johnson & Wales, Brown heads for the Bahamas next week.

URI’s Zek Montgomery made the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament all-tourney team, averaging 18.5 points in the Rams’ two games. Devin Carter did the same for PC at the Baha Mar Hoops event.

∎Surprising start in the Big East for some? While talking about St. John’s and perhaps Villanova not living up to the preseason hype, let’s also consider Marquette and UConn. Both look like potential No. 1 NCAA Tournament seeds to these eyes. For now, before the blood-letting begins.

∎Dayton was the preseason favorite in the A-10, but it’s the George Washington Revolutionaries (yes, they changed their nickname) out of the gate with a 4-0 start as the league’s only unbeaten team. Stonehill, William & Mary, Hofstra and New Hampshire were their, um, victims.

What was wrong, exactly, with the nickname “Colonials” at GW? And “Revolutionaries” is better? Stupid is as stupid does.

∎Don’t look now, but Boston College hoops is off to its best start in 15 years, despite dropping two straight late this past week. Senior center Quinten Post scored 20 points and pulled down 19 rebounds in a win over Harvard.

∎Gonzaga to the Big 12 is in the works again. The Houston Chronicle reported meetings took place this past week to again consider the Zags’ membership for basketball. They need nine schools to vote for approval — after June 30, the league would need 12 votes to get them in.

∎X post of the Week I, from @bostonsportsinf: “Last time the Patriots had sole possession of last place in the AFC after 11 weeks was …1990. Been a while.”

∎Don’t be shocked or surprised if Mac Jones starts again for the Patriots. Why should you be? Because a bunch of know-nothing sports media guys told you he wouldn’t? Or because you saw it with your own eyes?Your eyes are lying to you.

∎J.C. Jackson sez he’s sorry for missing bed checks before the Washington game that caused his punishment and subsequent absence from the team in Germany. Are our ears lying to us, too?

∎Not for nuthin’, but how crazy is it that two teams that faced off against each other in Super Bowls (New England and NY Giants) are now playing in a game where the loser might actually be the winner?

∎Did You Know: 83 years ago this week, the Green Bay Packers became the first NFL team to travel to a road game by airplane? They boarded buses to Chicago, then flew to New York to face the Giants.

Some things never change. The Patriots will board buses for Warwick, then fly to New York to face the Giants on Sunday.

∎We can always reminisce about the good ol’ days to remind us they DID happen — in 2024. “The Dynasty: New England Patriots” debuts on Apple TV on Feb. 16.

∎X post of the Week II, from Adam Schefter: “For the first time since 1969, the Lions and Browns have each won seven of their first 10 games. The last time this happened: the Jets were the defending Super Bowl champions, Bill Belichick was a senior at Annapolis HS in Maryland, and Apollo 11 landed on the moon.”

∎Charissa Thompson and Erin Andrews did the sideline reporting profession no favors with their all-too-candid comments a week ago. They damaged the entire journalism industry — and undoubtedly their own careers — saying they, in effect, sometimes “made stuff up.”

∎My buddy “Big E” sez a diplomat is a man who always remembers a woman’s birthday — but never remembers her age.

∎Sad for baseball. Sad for tradition. Sad for Catfish Hunter, Joe Rudi, Rickey Henderson, Mark McGwire. The Oakland A’s move to Las Vegas was unanimously approved by owners last week. The entire world seems like it’s moving to Vegas.

∎The Associated Press reported that plans for MLB to play games in Paris during the 2025 season have been called off. The Red Sox and Yankees had both expressed interest in participating in France. Mais Oui!But the 2024 season WILL open in three additional countries besides our own: South Korea will host Dodgers-Padres, Mexico hosts the Astros-Rockies and England will host the Mets-Phillies.

∎Here’s a nugget. Bruins coach Jim Montgomery, whether you believe he’s what this team needs or not, is 79-13-8 in his first 100 games as head coach. That record, through 100 games, is better than any other coach in NHL history.

∎The Celtics won their first matchup with the NBA Eastern Conference’s other primary contender from Milwaukee last week. The Bucks wish they had the overall offense the Celtics possess. But if the Celtics still rely too much on the 3 — the Bucks just might find a way to catch up. Giannis, anyone?

∎Don’t look now, but nearly every streaming service — whether it carries sports or not — has raised its subscription prices in the last year. My question: have they raised their standard of service, and destroyed those blasted spinning wheel “circles of death” along with those prices?

∎Just in time for Amazon to claim it wants a piece of the sports streaming pie by adding NBA playoff games to its mix of offerings. This is after offering the first-ever free stream of an NFL game on Black Friday.

∎Giving thanks? Here are three stories in the collegiate world to be thankful for that you might not otherwise have heard about:

1. For a third straight year, Michigan star running back Blake Corum is using his NIL money to deliver turkeys to his community.

2. North Carolina field hockey coach Erin Matson has won five NCAA titles, four as a player and one as a coach — at age 23.

3. New Mexico State football traveled to Auburn as a 26-point underdog — and won. And then took home a $1.8 million paycheck.

∎I kid you not: The Rolling Stones’ 2024 tour, which will make a stop at Gillette Stadium, is sponsored by AARP. Mick and the boys (Jagger is 80!) will wheel their chairs into Foxboro on May 30. I might be there with them.

∎Can’t help but think that fighting only four times in four and a half years, and now at age 35, will be an issue for Providence’s Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade. Thought the same for Vinny Paz and for Peter Manfredo back in the day, too. Father Time is the unkindest opponent of all time.

I’d like to be wrong about that, for the record, on all counts.

Interested in having your questions on Rhode Island sports (and yes, that includes the Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins, and Celtics) answered in a somewhat timely fashion? Think out loud and send your questions, comments, and local stories to jrbroadcaster@gmail.com. We’ll share mailbag comments/Facebook posts/threads right here! Join me on Twitter/X, @JRbroadcaster…on Facebook, www.facebook.com/john.rooke, and on Instagram and Threads @JRbroadcaster.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Bryant basketball's stunning win shows underdogs always have a shot