BREAKING: GREATEST UPSET EVER?!? A 16 JUST TOOK DOWN A 1!
WHAT JUST HAPPENED? A 16-seed by the name of University of Maryland - Baltimore-County (UMBC) just pulled off the shocker of all shockers and took down a 1-seed for the first time ever in the NCAA Tournament. Talk about Marchmadness! The Retrievers not only took down a # 1 seed for the first time, but the TOP OVERALL SEED in the entire Tournament in the Virginia Cavaliers. Oh by the way, Virginia had the best record out of anyone in the entire field (31-2). They lost only 2 games the entire season and dominated the incredibly deep and difficult ACC, winning not only the regular season crown but the Conference Tournament crown as well by dispatching North Carolina last Saturday in the Title game.
The game was a low-scoring drag em out brawl in the first half as you'd expect, and UMBC managed to get into the locker room with the game all squared away at 21-21. However, we had seen this before, many times and almost every time the favorite comes out and blows the doors off the underdog in the second half and pulls away. What nobody expected was for the Retrievers to come out and outscore the Cavaliers 24-8 to start the second half and hit 5 of their first 8 3's in the process. (I for one was watching New Mexico St. - Clemson and was figuring (just like everyone else was) that the top-seed would dominate and easily close the game out in the second half. As the remarkable scene began to unfold in the second half and UMBC went on their run, I quickly flipped over to watch history be made.) Oh - and I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
Even as Virginia tried to clamp down on the defensive end in the final ten minutes, (which had been their hallmark all season), they were unable to hit enough shots on the offensive end to make a sustained run. Virginia was as sound a team as any out there. They were the # 1 team in the entire nation defensively, allowing just 53.4 points per contest on the season. They allowed their opponents to shoot just 29.5% all season long from 3-point range and UMBC somehow managed to shoot a sizzling 50.0% (12-24) from long-range and made 12 - 3's against the country's best defensive team. Guard Jarius Lyles led the shocking offensive onslaught that yielded 74 for UMBC as he poured in 28 points on a smoking hot 9-11 shooting, adding 7 for 9 from the free line.
It was a truly shocking performance and will go down as perhaps the greatest upset of all-time in college basketball history. For the Cavaliers, what appeared to be the start of a Championship run came crashing down in epic fashion. In the end, again, UMBC not only just won, but they dominated down the stretch and pulled away in emphatically for a 20-point win. This game truly just put the MADNESS into March!
Yep, that Home Alone picture is my reaction. DX Do you think Rhode Island can beat Duke?
Right! Me too
Nice recap.
By the way, in the second half- UMBC scored almost as many as UVA allows for a game.
I loved this game and the Buffalo game last night.
Good this I only had Arizona winning one game, but did have Virginia winning 2 more.
Nice recap.
Thank you - appreciate it - and that's a good point and adds another crazy stat to this one - who would have thought that Virginia would ever give up over 50 in a half to a team like this. Crazy - I loved that Buffalo game last night too. It will be fun to see if they can both keep it going.
Oh my God I was covering the laker game but dammit I wish I was watching this!!! History!! The overall #1 too!!
That was absolutely crazy to watch! To not just win, but do it by 20 pulling away. I still can't believe what I witnessed last night! Like you said the # 1 overall too! Unreal
I almost made a bet with my friend that if a 16 seed beats a 1 seed in the next 3 years then I would pay him if not he would pay me a smaller amount. Good thing he backed out haha
Right! No kidding! You dodged one there!
I believe the coach did not make necessary adjustments and lost the game by playing the odds, with the expectation that the Retrievers would stop hitting the 3 pointers.
I checked the first half with little concern and the 21-21 low scoring half was a bit of a surprise... (Why so low?).
But, I moved on to other games. I was on the road during the second half and I was in shock. I managed to get the second half recorded at home.
As I listened on the radio to the second half, I couldn't understand how/why what was happening. I only understood after saw the Retriever team.
The Cavaliers seemed to be content allowing the Retrievers to consistently hold the ball and run down the clock. This patience forced a low scoring game and limited the possible shots by the Cavaliers. It also allowed the Retrievers to get the best open 3 point shot.
Also, if the Cavaliers opened the defense out to the 3 point range, the Retrievers would take it to the hoop with their 'relatively' short guard.
It was a perfect game plan for the Retrievers and the Cavaliers lost because they refused to adjust.
That's just my opinion....
I agree that Virginia did not do a good job at all of making adjustments. Clearly, whatever they discussed at halftime back-fired, and they didn't make any adjustments in the second half as UMBC was tearing them up. Virginia actually likes that excruitatingly slow pace of play, that usually plays to their strengths, but they weren't hitting their shots either. UMBC was able to run a bit on them in the second half and you're right their 3-point defense just wasn't good in this one. But I agree - good gameplan and execution by the Retrievers and lack of adjustments by UVA was the difference.