I've never heard of Bryant University in Rhode Island. I don't even know where Smithfield, RI is. But the Bryant University Bulldogs are going to move up from Division II to Division I.
Their basketball team will play in the Northeast Conference (NEC) and will play at U Conn (of course), Iowa, Rutgers, Maryland, against Providence College and Brown University, and in tournaments at Columbia and Ohio University. They'll play only 9 of their 29 games at home.
They'll be the new NJIT! If you are out there and have a list of other teams that are joining Division I let me know. I know the money is good up in D-I, but some teams really have to think about dropping back to the lower levels, or going Division III.
I don't see many more fans at a low level NEC D-I game than I did during a good game at the old WUniversity. And funding D-I sports has got to be a huge money-suck. Does playing in a low-level D-I conference bring a school that much notoriety?