UMBC has the biggest upset in tournament history as the only 16-seed to win their opener, knocking off top-overall seed Virginia in 2018. However, Virginia was missing the National Player of the Year. Now Saint Peter’s University has the biggest underdog run in the history of college basketball.
The Peacocks broke 97-percent of all the nation’s brackets when they toppled “One and Done U,” otherwise known as the Kentucky Wildcats. This was the second-straight year a 15-seed toppled a 2-seed in the opening round, which they followed up by knocking off 7-seed Murray State in the second round.
Previously, FGCU and Oral Roberts had double-digit leads at one point in their Sweet 16 games, both being 15-seeds. Both times the higher seed advanced, ending the dream of the little guy.
This time, Saint Peter’s used their defense to stymie Matt Painter’s Boilermakers the entire second half, leading to a 67-64 upset. The Peacocks kept the pressure on in the backcourt each time Purdue brought the ball up the floor, which wasted enough time that their offense could not get into a real rhythm.
Purdue’s largest lead in the second half was four at 56-52, with 5:17 left in the game. Saint Peter’s then put the clamps on, allowing only one field goal the rest of the way, which was a Jaden Ivey rainbow three with eight seconds remaining.
When Peacock junior guard Doug Edert missed the front-end of a 1-and-1 with 5:37 remaining, Purdue scoring on the ensuing possession seemed to take all the air out of a Philadelphia crowd firmly on the side of the Jesuit school from New Jersey. Name the last time Philadelphia and New Jersey ever saw eye-to-eye on anything in the world of sports…
Edert made up for it by hitting all three free throws after being dumped to the court by Purdue’s Sasha Stefanovic with 4:02 left. Starting forward KC Ndefo fouled out with 3:42 to go, which was the ensuing Boilermaker possession. Despite only having four points, three rebounds and committing five turnovers, Ndefo frustrated 7-foot-4 Purdue center Zach Edey all night, causing five turnovers.
Saint Peter’s was 19-21 from the foul line, while Purdue was 13-15 themselves. The difference was the Peacock defense, forcing 15 Purdue turnovers, while having four blocks, despite being outrebounded 37-26. Purdue actually went 5:48 into the second half before scoring, committing three turnovers, four fouls and missing their first seven shots from the floor.
Before tonight, NBC’s streaming service was the most famous peacock in sports.
We have to mention fourth-year head coach Shaheen Holloway for the job he has done the past eight days. Saint Peter’s is the first school from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) to advance to the Elite Eight.
Holloway, 45, was reported to be the only recruit Mike Krzyzewski failed to get a commitment from in his Hall of Fame career, after visiting Duke’s campus twice. Holloway was also heavily recruited by Seton Hall, becoming one of the key components of the Pirates’ run to the Sweet Sixteen in 2000, as a 10-seed.
The Peacocks go into Sunday playing with house money. They will be large underdogs to one of the two most storied schools in the history of college basketball. For a team that holds the opposition to only 62.3 points per game, good enough for 19th in the country, there is no Goliath large enough at this stage.
Speaking of the stage, Saint Peter’s will be playing in front of their largest crowd of the season. Typically you do not have a packed house for your opening-round game. The smallest school in the field had no problem taking down a powerhouse then, and followed up with knocking out the last Big Ten team in this year’s field tonight.
-JC24