Four years ago, the seemingly impossible happened. 16-seed University of Maryland Baltimore County upset 1-seed Virginia 74-54. It was considered by some to be the biggest upset in college basketball history. Four years later, an even bigger upset has just occurred.
Fairleigh Dickinson University made it into the tournament due to a technicality. Merrimack University won the conference championship (NEC). However, Merrimack is in its first season of transitioning to Division 1 from Division 2, making them ineligible to gain an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. This allowed FDU to get an automatic bid, win or lose. The team is coached by Tobin Anderson, who is in his first year with the team, and his first season as a Division 1 coach. Last season, the team finished 4-22, making their turnaround in one season with a new coach even more impressive.
The team is also the “second shortest team in the country based on average height since 2006-2007” when kenpom.com, a college basketball website, began tracking the stat, according to CBS Sports. Only six other teams with the shortest average height that season from 2006 to now have finished with a winning record, and the one team that was shorter than FDU, 2009-10 Grambling State, finished 7-21.
Against all odds, this team made the tournament one of the first four, having to play Texas Southern to play against 1-seed Purdue. After the game, coach Anderson said to his team, “The more I watch Purdue, the more I think we can beat them,” according to ESPN. Purdue finished the season 29-6, ranked number three in the country, and also the tallest team in the country based on the same Kempom stat. Purdue is anchored by 7′ 4 center Zach Edey, who averaged 22 points and 12.9 rebounds this season. FDU’s tallest player is Pier-Olivier Racine, who is only 6’7 by comparison.
FDU seemed utterly outmatched. Purdue was bigger, played and beat more formidable teams, and was a number-one seed. However, David beat Goliath. FDU ran a tough press and swarmed Zach Edey all night. Despite being 363/363 in the nation in terms of height, FDU made the tallest team in the nation uncomfortable, coming up with 11 steals and forcing 16 Purdue turnovers. Purdue’s guards were inexperienced, and the team struggled to get much going on offense. FDU’s swarming defense caught Purdue off-guard, and they never settled.
After an electric three from FDU’s Sean Moore to extend their lead 61-56, Purdue missed a three and was forced to foul. Up 63-56, FDU forced one final turnover off of a Purdue inbound. Commentator Andrew Catalon shouted, “F D, you believe it!” For the second time in March Madness history, a 16-seed defeated a one-seed. FDU would go on to lose to 9-seed Florida Atlantic University in the next round. The season may be over, but this team will live on forever.
