Book excerpt: Over the past forty-five years, Friar basketball has captured the attention of sports fans in Rhode Island and throughout New England. From humble beginnings, the small Dominican school on Smith Hill in Providence has produced a story reminiscent of David and Goliath. The legend persists: tiny Providence College taking on and beating the big boys of college basketball. Run on a shoestring budget in the 1950s and 1960s, the program rose up out of nowhere to pull upset after upset. The school went on to dominate college basketball in New England, recording more postseason tournament games and victories, more twenty-win seasons, more All-Americans, and more players in the pros than any school in the region. Providence College Basketball: The Friar Legacy examines the seventy-five-year history of Friar hoops and celebrates the great players, coaches, games, and moments that have made Providence College basketball so unforgettable. Relive the annual trips to the National Invitation Tournament, the two Final Fours, and discover how Rhode Island became hooked on the Friars.