Fairleigh remarkable: 16 seed FDU stuns No. 1 seed Purdue
Fairleigh Dickinson became the second No. 16 seed in history to win an NCAA Tournament game, stunning top-seeded Purdue 6358 behind 19 points from Sean Moore and a relentless, hustling defense on Friday night.
The shortest team in the tourney, the Knights (21-15) showed no fear in swarming 7-foot-4 AllAmerica center Zach Edey from the start. FDU’s players were quicker and more composed than the Big Ten champion Boilermakers (29-6).
Five years ago, UMBC showed the way for the little guys by overwhelming Virginia in the first 16over-1 victory after numerous close calls over the years. Still, No. 16s had a 1-150 record against No. 1s before FDU’s shocker.
Fairleigh Dickinson didn’t even win the Northeast Conference Tournament, falling by one point in the title game to Merrimack, which couldn’t participate in the NCAA Tournament because of an NCAA rule that bars it from the postseason because it’s still completing its fouryear transition from Division II.
Edey finished with 21 point and 15 rebounds in what may have been his final college game, but the Knights consistently denied him the ball down the stretch. He didn’t attempt a shot in the final nine minutes.
Joey Hauser scored 17 points and No. 7 seed Michigan State (20-12) clamped down defensively on No. 10 seed USC (22-11).
Tyson Walker and Jaden Akins added 12 points apiece for Michigan State, which held USC to 34% shooting in the second half.
Archbishop Carroll All-Delco A.J. Hoggard’s steal and layup put Michigan State ahead 58-49, and Spartans center Mady Sissoko followed with a monstrous block on USC’s next possession. MARQUETTE 78, VERMONT 61 » Kam Jones scored 18 straight points
MICHIGAN STATE 72, USC 62 »
for Marquette (29-6) in the second half, and the second-seeded Golden Eagles beat No. 15 seed Vermont (23-11) for their first NCAA Tournament victory in a decade.
Jones finished with 19 points. Oso Ighodaro scored 14 points and David Joplin added 12 as Marquette pulled away in the last 10 minutes.
MIDWEST REGION
XAVIER 72, KENNESAW STATE 67 »
Jack Nunge blocked Terrell Burden’s driving attempt at a go-ahead layup in the final seconds, and Xavier (26-9) dug out of a 13-point hole against surprising Kennesaw State (26-9) to escape with a victory.
Souley Boum hit four clinching free throws in the final 2.6 seconds for the third-seeded Musketeers, who ran off 15 unanswered points as part of a gameending 24-6 run.
PITTSBURGH 59, IOWA STATE 41 »
Nelly Cummings scored 13 points and No. 11 seed Pittsburgh (24-11) held sixth-seeded Iowa State (1914) to 23% shooting in a victory.
Jamarius Burton added 11 points and Greg Elliott had 10 for coach Jeff Capel’s Panthers, who stormed to a 22-2 lead after Iowa State missed its first 11 shots.
WEST REGION
SAINT MARY’S 63, VCU 51 » Mitchell
Saxen had 17 points, seven rebounds and four blocks, and Saint Mary’s (27-7) beat ailing VCU (27-8).
Alex Ducas also scored 17 points as the fifth-seeded Gaels advanced to the second round for the second straight year.
UCONN 87, IONA 63 » Adama Sanogo scored 10 of his 28 points in the first five minutes of the second half as fourth-seeded UConn (26-8) took control and beat Iona (27-8).
Coach Rick Pitino’s Gaels had their 14-game winning streak snapped.
SOUTH REGION
BAYLOR 74, UC SANTA BARBARA 56 » Caleb Lohner scored a seasonbest 13 points in just 18 minutes, and No. 3 seed Baylor (23-10) beat UC Santa Barbara (27-8).
CREIGHTON 72, N.C. STATE 63 »
Ryan Kalkbrenner scored a career-high 31 points and sixthseeded Creighton (22-12) overcame a rough 3-point shooting day to fend off No. 11 seed North Carolina State (23-11).
The 7-foot-1 Kalkbrenner did a little bit of everything for the Bluejays, which included hitting a big 3-pointer on a day the team finished 3 of 20 from long range.
The slender Kalkbrenner had six dunks and 10 rebounds.