Wow. Watching the Clemson/St. Bonaventure game that is being played in the tourney in Charleston. Those Bonnies fan travel well. They must have half the place filled up. Not bad for a school of 2,100 students.
And their endowment is around 10% the size of Furman's (not that it's a direct link to athletics, but just as a general point of reference).
No doubt that fan support is a critical factor.