Historic upset.
In the 136th meeting between No. 1 and No. 16 seeds, UMBC becomes first 16 to get win (16) UMBC 74, (1) VIRGINIA 54
Virginia becomes the first No. 1 seed to lose in the first round of the NCAA Tournament when the Cavaliers are stunned by UMBC 74-54.
Good dog! Very good dog! The UMBC Retrievers pulled off the previously impossible Friday night, making NCAA Tournament history in Charlotte, N.C., by upsetting No. 1 overall seed Virginia 74-54 before an absolutely shocked crowd at the Spectrum Center. Before the shocker, No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament were 135-0 against No. 16 seeds. Make that 135-1 now, as the Retrievers routed the powerhouse Cavaliers (31-3) with an underdog performance for the ages.
UMBC — the acronym for University of Maryland, Baltimore County — wasn't even supposed to make it to the NCAA Tournament. The Retrievers (25-10) needed a last-second shot to get to Charlotte, beating favored Vermont. UMBC lost 83-39 to Albany this season. It lost to Colgate. It lost to Army.
But the Retrievers did something Friday night they will never forget, breaking open a 21-21 halftime tie with an incredible burst to start the second half. Virginia hadn’t allowed 70 points in a game all season.
CHARLOTTE, N.C.» It finally happened — a 16 ousting a 1 in March Madness.
The University of MarylandBaltimore County stunned the college basketball world by pulling off the most shocking upset in men’s NCAA Tournament history, hammering Virginia 7454 on Friday night to become the first No. 16 seed ever to beat a No. 1 seed.
Virginia entered the NCAA Tournament as tourney favorites — the No. 1 overall seed after going 31-2 this season, including 20-1 in ACC competition.
And really, who was UMBC anyway — a team most glanced over, or simply didn’t know when they filled out their NCAA bracket?
But UMBC didn’t just beat Virginia, it dominated throughout the second half. Senior guard Jairus Lyles scored 28 points and the Retreivers cruised to an easy victory before racing off the floor together in their yellow-and-black uniforms with one finger pointed toward the sky.
“These are the moments that you dream of,” Lyles said.
Chaminade’s 77-72 stunner over Ralph Sampson and then No. 1-ranked Cavaliers in 1982 in Hawaii was generally considered the most remarkable upset in college basketball history. But that was the regular season.
This came when it mattered the most — in the NCAA Tournament.
The Cavaliers couldn’t get anything generated on offense and the nation’s top-ranked defense couldn’t contain the American East Conference champions who won their conference tournament at the buzzer.
“Unbelievable — it’s really all you can say,” UMBC coach Ryan Odom said.
The 74 points were the most Virginia had allowed this year. Virginia had allowed just 54.3 points per game this season, the fewest in the nation.
Lyles was the catalyst. He diced up Virginia’s defense in the second half, getting to the hole easily on six different occasions and making easy layups. He also knocked down a pair of 3-pointers as UMBC built a 16-point lead.
Lyles finished with 23 of his points in the second half and Joe Sherburne finished with 14 points.
Sherburne was huge early in the second half and made believers out of everyone.
He scored on an and-1 drive and then knocked down a 3pointer from the top of the key after a behind-the-back pass from KJ Maura. After Virginia made a foul shot, the shifty 5foot-8, 140-pound Maura drove the lane for uncontested layup.
Lyles hit two more 3’s and Sherburne hit one more to extend UMBC’s lead to 14 with 14:57 left in the game. Lyles was fouled on a 3-point shot and suddenly the Retrievers led by 16.
A corner 3-pointer and a layups off a fastbreak by Arkel Lamer gave UMBC its biggest lead at 67-48. From there, the party was on as chants of “UMBC” rang through the arena.
It was yet another early exit for the Cavaliers in a season that seemed to hold so much promise.