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Fairleigh Dickinson didn’t even win their meeting match, but soon after a play-in victory they stunned Purdue for the most significant upset in NCAA Tournament background.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The 2023 NCAA Tournament gave us the largest to start with spherical upset in history when Fairleigh Dickinson, a play-in 16 seed who did not even gain their conference event, upset quantity just one seed Purdue on Friday, 63-58.
It was a catastrophe performance from Matt Painter’s squad, who failed to score in the last 5 minutes and could not get fantastic appears to be like for their star heart, Zach Edey.
The Knights will now experience Florida Atlantic on Sunday and the winner will advance to the Sweet 16 – proving as soon as once again just how substantially insanity their is in March.
Locked on College or university Basketball hosts Andy Patton and Isaac Schade broke down this monumental upset on the newest episode, talking about a number of of the practically unbelievable facts about this matchup and functionality from the Knights:
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Actuality 1: An out-of-date NCAA rule is the only purpose FDU was in the match
The NCAA at present has a rule which prevents teams who transition from D-2 to D-1 from competing in a championship tournament for their initial 4 a long time. The rule exists to reduce colleges from leaping back and forth, but it has come beneath hearth as a lot of applications have moved up a stage, competed effectively, and been ineligible to enjoy in the playoffs – hurting the school’s recruiting in the approach.
For Fairleigh Dickinson, they concluded third in the NEC for the duration of the common season, but due to the fact the conference winner Merrimack was ineligible for the postseason the Knights attained the automatic bid – and the relaxation is heritage.

Reality 2: FDU was clearly viewed as the worst team in the Industry of 68
This upset will for good attract comparisons to UMBC, who upset Virginia in 2018 for the to start with 16-1 earn in match historical past. On the other hand, UMBC was a significantly remarkable workforce – producing this the most significant upset of all-time, at least in the NCAA Tournament initially spherical.
UMBC did not have to participate in in to their 16 seed, and though their upset was extraordinary they were being ranked quantity 188 in KenPom. In the meantime, FDU was number 312 in KenPom, and experienced to play in the perform-in match and conquer Texas Southern in purchase to have the possibility to face Purdue.
When the committee sat down to purchase the teams, the Knights have been straight away detailed as the 68th and final group in the industry – and however they pulled off a single of the most unforgettable victories in event record.

Point 3: This matchup highlighted the tallest and shortest groups in the NCAA – a literal David vs. Goliath
The Knights very own the shortest roster in Division 1 basketball, with an normal height of just 6-foot-1. In the meantime, Purdue’s typical top is the optimum in the NCAA – setting up just one of the most one of a kind matchups in event history. FDU’s system to triple and even quadruple group Zach Edey – Purdue’s 7’4 Nationwide Player of the Yr candidate – paid dividends through as the Boilermakers were unable to strike open shots.
Edey experienced a amazing recreation, scoring 21 points on 7-11 capturing, but no one particular stepped up all over him and the Knights took edge and stole a victory.

Actuality 4: FDU coach Tobin Anderson prophesized this upset again in January
Again on January 31, Fairleigh Dickinson mentor Tobin Anderson spoke with David Cobb about a hypothetical matchup towards Purdue in the NCAA Match. Anderson described they would triple the submit and indicated he thought his group could do it.
Then, subsequent their get around Texas Southern, Anderson advised his group in the locker room they cherished the matchup against Purdue and felt they would earn. While he admitted he did not want that discussion to get leaked – he was totally ideal.

Fact 5: New Jersey is the household of huge upsets
The darling of the 2022 NCAA Tournament was Saint Peter’s, a plucky college from New Jersey who not only upset variety two seed Kentucky, but went on a deep run into the Sweet 16.
On the first day of the 2023 NCAA Tournament Princeton, the winner of the Ivy League car-bid, upset Arizona in an epic 15-2 struggle.
And then on Friday we observed this file breaking get from Fairleigh Dickinson. All of these applications not only pulled off 3 of the biggest NCAA Tournament upsets ever – they are all located in New Jersey, about an hour travel from every single other.
No Rutgers and no Seton Hall in the Huge Dance this yr, but the condition of New Jersey has a little something else to hang their hat on: the underdogs.
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