Who’s that busting brackets? We’re tracking every upset from a 13-, 14-, 15- or 16-seed and asking: Who can go on a Cinderella run? Here are the results so far.
Minutes after pulling off what might turn out to be the biggest shock of the 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, Princeton head coach Mitch Henderson gathered his players in the middle of the locker room.
He was drenched in a mixture of sweat, water and sports drink, and the words this time just tumbled out from a usually eloquent man. It was a message of pride, a direct order to enjoy the next 48 hours and a little dash of disbelief at how they’d outplayed No. 2 Arizona, the Pac 12 Tournament champs, down the stretch, to record a memorable 59-55 victory.
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When he eventually stopped talking, several of his Tigers players took up a chorus.
“We’re not done yet,” they yelled collectively.
Who knows, they might be right. Princeton will stick around in Sacramento to clash with No. 7 Missouri on Saturday, perhaps emboldened by the reality that the 15-seed is on a historic tear over the last several tournaments.
Once seen as a virtual formality, that can no longer be said for a 2 vs. 15 matchup. Last season saw Saint Peter’s climb all the way to the Elite Eight. A year before that, Oral Roberts downed Ohio State and Florida before losing narrowly in the Sweet 16.
From 2001 to 2012, there wasn’t a single victory for a 15-seed. In the 11 years since, there have been seven. Princeton’s was as impressive as any.
Arizona had led by as many as 12 on Thursday, but Princeton, led by 15 points from Tosan Evbuomwan, never went away. Down the stretch, Arizona was forced into repeated turnovers. Azuolas Tubelis’ 22-point haul was not enough, and when the Tigers took the lead for the first time with two minutes left, the tide had firmly turned.
Caden Pierce knocked down a pair of free throws with 21.7 seconds to go, and Evbuomwan fittingly iced the game by bouncing one in with three seconds left.
It is not just a cliché to say that the Ivy Leaguers used their smarts to claim the win. In fact, it is that intrinsic game plan that will give them a chance to progress further in the bracket. Henderson’s plotting effectively slowed down Arizona’s offense and Princeton kept on gaining momentum, with torrid defense, swift transition and a swath of big blocks.
The Tigers will need to maintain that same defensive intensity in their second-round matchup against a Missouri team that averages 79.5 points per contest, which ranked second in the SEC.
As for Arizona, the Wildcats now carry the dubious distinction of becoming the first program to lose twice in the opening round as a No. 2 seed. The first time still holds a place in history, when a baby-faced Steve Nash shouldered Santa Clara to an epic upset back in 1993.
This was another one, but maybe it’s not the end. Princeton, like its players said so loudly, are hungry for more.
Looking for this year’s early candidate for a Cinderella ready to go on a dream run?
Well, Furman was the first team to raise its hand on Thursday, with the NCAA Tournament’s first opportunity for a major upset delivering just that.
The 13th-seeded Paladins sunk Virginia, the South Region’s No. 4 seed, which knows all about being on the wrong end of painful shocks, thanks an incredible turn of events over the final seconds in Orlando.
Bob Richey’s Furman team will now take on the winner of the clash between No. 5 San Diego State and No. 12 College of Charleston. The Aztecs are elite defensively, but not great in the scoring column, while College of Charleston is a popular Cinderella pick, tied for the national lead in wins with 31.
Both San Diego State and College of Charleston are experienced groups, and both are riding hot streaks. The Aztecs have won 10 of their last 11 games, while the Cougars are riding a 10-game winning streak heading into the Big Dance.
Whatever comes after this, Furman will never forget what took place across a few moments of true March-style madness.
Deep into the final minute, Virginia looked to have things under control, operating with a 67-63 lead, having taken defensive control down the stretch. But Kihei Clark missed a free throw, Furman big man Garrett Hien (a 51% FT shooter) made two from the stripe, and then it all turned to chaos.
Furman put pressure on Virginia following the resulting inbounds pass, and Clark opted to hurl the ball down the court unsighted. It landed in Hien’s hands and was swiftly delivered to the unguarded JP Pegues, who drained a triple to put his team up 68-67 with 2.2 seconds remaining.
Reece Beekman‘s desperate last effort was wayward for Virginia, and that was it.
This is SoCon Tournament champ Furman’s first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 1980 and the program’s first tournament win since 1974. Thursday’s triumph came despite being without star guard Mike Bothwell in the final minutes after having fouled out.
Tony Bennett’s Virginia team had reached the ACC Tournament title game last weekend, and led by as many as 12 on Thursday, before a comeback spurred by Furman’s Jalen Slawson, who ended with 19 points.
This wasn’t on the same scale as when Bennett’s group was a No. 1 seed and lost to 16th-seeded UMBC – on the exact same day five years ago – but it was an upset few saw coming.
Most importantly, it served immediate notice. Cinderella, once again, is coming to play.
Martin Rogers is a columnist for FOX Sports and the author of the FOX Sports Insider newsletter. Follow him on Twitter @MRogersFOX and subscribe to the daily newsletter.
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