No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson shocks Purdue in NCAA Tournament

Fairleigh Dickinson grew to become the second No. 16 seed in historical past to win an NCAA Match recreation, gorgeous top-seeded Purdue 63-58 behind 19 factors from Sean Moore and a relentless, hustling protection on Friday night time.

The shortest workforce within the tourney, the Knights (21-15) confirmed no concern in swarming 7-foot-4 All-America middle Zach Edey from the beginning. FDU’s gamers have been faster and extra composed than the Massive Ten champion Boilermakers (29-6).

5 years in the past, UMBC confirmed the way in which for the little guys by overwhelming Virginia within the first 16-over-1 victory after quite a few shut calls over time. Nonetheless, No. 16s had a 1-150 file earlier than FDU’s shocker.

After the ultimate horn, FDU’s gamers mobbed one another on the ground of Nationwide Area, the place the followers from Memphis and Florida Atlantic who have been ready for the day’s closing recreation joined forces in cheering on the Knights within the closing, frantic minutes.

The Knights will now meet the Memphis-FAU winner on Sunday for a Candy 16 berth and a visit subsequent week to play at Madison Sq. Backyard in New York – only a quick drive from the personal faculty’s campus in Teaneck, New Jersey.

Fairleigh Dickinson did not even win the Northeast Convention Match, falling by one level within the title recreation to Merrimack, which could not take part within the NCAA Match due to an NCAA rule that bars it from the postseason as a result of it is nonetheless finishing its four-year transition from Division II.

“The extra I watch Purdue, the extra I believe we will beat them,” Fairleigh Dickinson head coach Tobin Anderson instructed his workforce on Wednesday night time after defeating Texas Southern 84-61 within the First 4 to earn the matchup with Purdue.

FDU held Purdue scoreless for greater than 5 1/2 minutes down the stretch and moved forward by 5 on a 3-pointer by Moore with 1:03 left. The Knights held on from there, turning into the second straight double-digit seed to ship the Boilermakers dwelling. Purdue was a 3 seed when it misplaced to fifteen seed Saint Peter’s within the Candy 16 final yr.

ESPN additionally famous that the Fairleigh Dickinson win meant that of the roughly 20 million brackets stuffed out for its annual Match Problem, zero excellent brackets remained in play.

In line with CBS Sports activities, No. 16 seeds now have a file of 2-150 all time within the match.

“That is unbelievable, we simply shocked the world,” a surprised Anderson mentioned on the court docket after the sport. 

This was Anderson’s first season on the faculty, and after he landed the job in Could, he held a observe the primary night time simply so he knew what he needed to work with from a workforce that had the second-worst file in this system’s 58-year historical past.

It wasn’t rather a lot, so he introduced three gamers — 5-foot-8 Demetre Roberts, Grant Singleton and Moore — together with him from Division II energy St. Thomas Aquinas.

Seems, they’re big slayers.

And it was the Boilermakers, not the undersized Knights, who have been scrambling from the opening tip.

Purdue could have had Fairleigh Dickinson outsized on the ground and within the stands as a boisterous group of Boilermakers followers gave their workforce what felt like a home-court benefit regardless of being 240 miles from West Lafayette, Indiana.

Nevertheless, when the Knights’ Joe Munden drained a step-back 3-pointer within the first half, “F-D-U!” chants broke out inside the world and it grew to become apparent this small workforce had massive desires.

And not using a participant on its roster taller than 6-foot-6, Fairleigh Dickinson typically wanted two gamers to protect Edey — one in entrance and one behind — and he missed his first three pictures earlier than a dunk.

Edey confirmed some frustration and at one level instructed one of many officers, “Sir, he is holding my left arm.”

Simply being within the tourney was fairly an accomplishment for FDU, which went 4-22 a yr in the past.