Kingston On The Map Of Top Basketball Towns: Wallet Hub

KINGSTON, RI—March Madness starts this week with both the Rams and the Friars headed for tournaments. In advance of all the big games, Wallet Hub, the personal finance website, came up with a list of the nation's best cities for college basketball fans. Depending on where you live, the experts said, more fans may follow the college game than watch the professional teams.

For years, that observation was true about Providence. The Friars dominated the men's basketball picture since those late 1950's and 1960's teams with Johnny Egan, Vinnie Ernst and John Thompson. But the Wallet Hub rankings may indicate 2018 is URI's turn.

Although no Rhode Island cities or towns made the top 10, Kingston, which isn't technically even a city, clocked in at 17th best for college basketball fans, while Providence, home of the Friars, limped into 52nd place. Click here for the complete story.

The Rams (23-6) have grabbed the headlines all season. Polls have ranked them in the nation's top 20 teams. They ended up 25th, won the Atlantic 10 conference, and Coach Dan Hurley captured Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year honors.

Friday in the Atlantic 10 tournament, URI plays the winner of a second round game.

Providence (19-12) plays Creighton Thursday night in the Big East Tournament.

Source: WalletHub

Cover Photo: Massachusetts' Luwane Pipkins (2) watches Rhode Island's E.C. Matthews pass during the first half an NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018, in Amherst, Mass. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)