BUFFALO — The players knew. Sure they did. They may be Friars, but they are not monks. They hear the radio. They see the TV. They’re glued to social media. So yes: the Providence basketball team knew that entering this NCAA Tournament they’d been handed a most ignominious distinction.

“We were going to be the first team to be upset,” A.J. Reeves said, laughing.

And it was actually worse than that: they weren’t just going to be the first upset, but the easiest to pick. They were a No. 4 seed. South Dakota State was a No. 13. South Dakota State had the cooler nickname (Jackrabbits!) and the more pleasing style of play (almost 86 points a game, No. 2 in all of Division I!). They already had won 30 games.

They were such a popular pick, it was hard to even think of the Jackrabbits as underdogs. Early on, they filled the KeyBank Cener with ally-oops and 3s and old-school run-and-gun, and the entire city of Buffalo was primed to adopt them.

Only a funny thing happened.

Providence wouldn’t play along. The Friars took the lead back midway through the first half. They built it in the second. They never did let the Jackrabbits truly get going, never even let them have a possession late with a chance to tie the game. The final was 66-57. The 2,000 or so Providence fans behind the Friars bench loved every second of it. It felt like they were the only ones.

“Good games, bad games,” Justin Minaya said. “We’ve seen them all.”

And, mostly, they’ve won them all, 26 wins in 31 starts. And the Friars will experience the exact same dynamic Saturday, when they take on Richmond with a shot at the Sweet 16. Not only is Richmond a natural adoptee for the locals because they’re another low seed (12), having knocked off fifth-seeded Iowa Friday. But they play in the Atlantic 10, which in Buffalo is one of the hometown conferences.

So those 2,000 or so Friars fans can scream to their heart’s content. They will be drowned out by 15,000 others.

“We have to embrace the moment,” Providence coach Ed Cooley said.

And, really, what a moment. It’s hard to label any member of the Big East a feisty underdog, but if there’s one it would have to be Providence. They’ve been a charter member of the Big East since 1980, but didn’t win their first outright regular-season title until this year.

And despite a rich basketball history, their periodic bursts with genuine prosperity — in 1973 under Dave Gavitt, Ernie DiGregorio and Marvin Barnes; in 1987 under Rick Pitino and Billy Donovan, in 1997 under Pete Gillen and God Shammgod — always have come under the underdog’s umbrella. It’s just not Providence’s way to be the hunted.

And yet here they are.

“I can tell you this,” said Cooley, laughing. “By Sunday morning either Providence or Richmond will be advancing to the Sweet 16, put it down, someone is moving forward, the more disciplined and lucky team. And, yes, you need a little luck in order to advance.”

You could almost detect a wink as Cooley said this. It’s rankled Providence folks to hear about how “lucky” they’ve been all year. They are 18-2 in games decided by 10 points or less this year (losing only to Villanova, twice). COVID cancellations means they won their league title helped along by cancellations against Seton Hall, Connecticut and Creighton, all Tournament teams.

Of course, you also could interpret that a different way:

They simply know how to win as well as any team in the country. That caused a massive buzzkill in Buffalo Friday afternoon. They wouldn’t mind making that 2-for-2 as they prepare for a neutral-site game disguised as a Richmond home game Saturday night.

“The Sweet 16 is a viable option for us now,” said Reeves, and around Providence that’s a big deal. They’ve only been there twice since 1974. Cooley, as well-regarded a coach as there is in the whole sport, has never been. Most years, that would be something a whole lot of fans could get behind.

And maybe next week — when they might be looking at Kansas — they can be again. But they have to get to the other side of the weekend first. Have to figure out Richmond first.