The Impossible Happens in the NCAA Men’s Tournament

Fans lined both sidea of the hotel entrance, and the band played the “UMBC Fight Song” as the team processed out of the lobby, and boarded their bus.

The Cavaliers allowed 74 points to UMBC. While many of them are expanding their bank accounts, there are others who can’t believe they’ve lost so much money in such a short period of time.

Virginia came into the game as the top-ranked team in the country. Odds for that matchup will be released soon, but it is likely that Kansas State will be a sizable favorite, probably somewhere around nine points, against UMBC.

The amount represents UMBC’s men’s basketball coach Ryan Odom’s bonus for beating Virginia. Already with experience taking out a heavyweight, the Retrievers looked to do the same.

The Cavaliers were without prize redshirt freshman De’Andre Hunter, one of the heroes of their ACC championship run, who learned earlier in the week that he had a broken left wrist and would require surgery. It gave the Retrievers the lead rather quickly.

UMBC senior guard Jairus Lyles scored 28 points to lead the Retrievers’ victory.

Odom also completed his career as the program’s all-time leader in 3-pointers made and finished fourth in assists, reported UMBC athletics. UMBC scored 53 points in the SECOND HALF!

“Not really a whole lot can prepare you for this kind of feeling”, said Virginia guard Kyle Guy, holding back tears.

The doors to the Virginia’s locker room opened, the last protection for a group of players sitting in a state of shocked quiet after the most improbable of losses. He put on a show in the first half, scoring 20 points and making all three of his shots beyond the 3-point arc to keep the Bison close.

Shortly after the win was in the books, Little Caesar’s announced that they would indeed make good on the promise (which, let’s be honest, didn’t seem likely that they’d have to do).

The field grew to 16 teams from 1951-1952. “They had a historic season. All we have to do is start hitting shots”.

The Retrievers shot 67.9 percent from the field in the second half and held Virginia to 42 percent after intermission. Virginia would inbound the ball, and the clock would expire.

On Friday, the Retrievers threw all those numbers out of the window and made history. The Cavaliers lost just two games overall this season heading into Friday.

“We had an historic season, and then we make history be being the first 1 seed to lose”, Virginia coach Tony Bennett said. “It was just a special, special effort”. But it can’t define you. However, going into halftime with a tie score of 21-21, the thought of an upset was still out of this world. I play for them, especially after what happened with the hurricane. “Obviously these guys were tremendous, all the guys came and did what they particularly do which is defend well”. It was the first time a No. 16th-ranked men’s basketball team defeated a No. 1 seed. There was never any doubt or feeling that this could ever happen.

UMBC will face No. 8 seed Kansas State in Sunday’s round of 32 for the right to advance to the Sweet 16 in Atlanta. Give credit to them, too.