- Saint Peter’s thwarted Purdue to make it to the Elite 8 in NCAA Tournament.
- The Sweet 16 has been the only place where a 15-seed has made it beyond the Sweet 16.
- Saint Peter’s, in Philadelphia, continued its greatest Cinderella run in March Madness History, remaining calm and steady in front of a loud crowd.
PHILADELPHIA — Saint Peter’s miracle run in the NCAA Tournament continued on Friday night.
The Peacocks shocked the No. To advance to the Elite Eight, 3 Purdue Boilermakers defeated 67-64. The Sweet 16 has been the last time a 15-seed made it to the Sweet 16.
Saint Peter’s was led by Daryl Banks III’s guard, who scored 14 points. Doug Edert, the breakout star, had 10 points off the bench. Edert was clutch 7-for-8 at the free throw line. Purdue held a narrow lead of four points going into halftime, but Banks’ key jumpers in the final minutes gave Saint Peter’s a lead that they would not relinquish.
Prior to the game, two Purdue staffers — a communications member and a member of the video department — told Insider that Purdue was treating Saint Peter’s like a 2-seed; Saint Peter’s had, after all, knocked off 2nd-seeded Kentucky in the first round. Coach Shaheen holloway said it again and again throughout his remarkable run that the Peacock team plays like they belong on a team such as Kentucky or Purdue.
The Peacocks, despite their talent and noticeable size gap, had the look of a powerful team Friday night. They didn’t seem fazed or overwhelmed by the moment.
“I don’t think any of us were nervous or really cared about how many people were there watching us,”Edert said this to reporters after the game. “We just went out there and did our thing. We’ve been doing what we’ve been doing all season, which was defending and playing as hard as we possibly can.”
The Peacocks’ team spirit is evident in the fact that three of their players scored in double-digits and two others scored seven points. Banks only took more than ten shots.
After knocking off three higher-seeded opponents in a row the Peacocks are now full of confidence.
“We know we’re just as good as any team in the country,”Matthew Lee, guard, stated after the game. “As long as we stick to our game, play defense, and give it 100 percent, we feel like we can hang with anybody.”
Saint Peter’s will be facing either North Carolina or UCLA in Philadelphia on Sunday.
“We’re happy, but don’t mistake, we’re not satisfied,”Edert stated after the game. “We’re not satisfied at all. The job is not finished. We feel like we belong, and the more games we win, the more confidence we build.”