The St. Peter's Peacocks added Purdue's Boilermakers to their string of March Insanity upsets on Friday night time, changing into the first-ever Fifteenth-seeded workforce to achieve the Elite Eight. The Peacocks, who received Friday's recreation 67-64, will now face both UCLA or North Carolina within the East Area last on Sunday.
Saint Peter's had the followers contained in the packed Wells Fargo Middle on its facet from the opening tip, and the sector erupted when Daryl Banks III tied the sport 57-all on a turnaround jumper. He hit a driving layup with 2:17 left that made it 59-57.
With simply eight seconds left within the recreation, Purdue's Jaden Ivey buried an NBA-distance 3 that pulled Purdue inside 65-64 and momentarily shushed the group. However Doug Edert, whose wispy mustache and goofy persona earned him a fast-food hen endorsement deal, sank two free throws to seal the win.
"What they going to say now?" coach Shaheen Holloway mentioned about his workforce's doubters, a gaggle whose numbers are dwindling.
Saint Peter's followers made the 93-mile trip south to assist pack the Philadelphia area and provides the Peacocks extra of an edge than they often have at their bandbox, referred to as Run Child Run Area. Simply 434 followers had been listed as the overall attendance for Saint Peter's residence opener this season towards LIU.
Nevertheless it wasn't simply St. Peter's college students who had been backing the workforce on Friday night time. In latest weeks, basketball followers — sure, even these whose brackets the Peacocks helped bust — have began instantly rooting for the tiny commuter faculty in Jersey Metropolis, New Jersey, simply throughout the Hudson River from Decrease Manhattan.
By now, the Peacocks' run is etched because the story of the match. Saint Peter's began with a stunner when it knocked off No. 2 seed Kentucky and coach John Calipari. It then superior to the Candy 16 with a win over seventh-seeded Murray State.
The Peacocks lived by Holloway's mantra: "I acquired guys from New Jersey and New York Metropolis. You suppose we're terrified of something?"
After the win, the Peacocks hopped the press desk and saluted followers within the first few rows. They mobbed one another and hugged and began waving down followers and mates earlier than they gathered on the basket to rejoice — yet another time — the most important win in program historical past.
Banks led the Peacocks with 14 factors, Clarence Rupert scored 11 and Edert had 10. Trevion Williams had 16 factors and eight rebounds for Purdue.