No. 15 seed’s legendary run of upsets comes to an end
- Nicholas Leo
- Apr 2, 2022
- 5 min read
Updated: Apr 11, 2024
Saint Peters men's basketball season has come to an end at the hands of the UNC Tarheels, accomplishing what no other 15-seed had ever done in the NCAA Tournament.
Winning in the Sweet Sixteen against Purdue proved a historic feat, as the 2022 St. Peter’s Peacocks had become the highest-seeded team to ever reach the Elite Eight.
Team Reaction
KC Ndefo propelled the Peacocks to their second-round win against Murray State with 17 points, and was the second leading scorer in their loss to UNC.
“This is a brotherhood and we love all of our brothers, so we stayed together through it, and there were definitely emotions in the locker room,” Ndefo said during the press conference.
Daryl Banks III led the team in scoring during the NCAA Tournament, averaging 13.5 points per-game over four games.
“It was amazing, it was a great atmosphere for us like it’s been this whole tournament. We got a lot of support and to just have did what we did, it was incredible,” Banks III told Gannett New Jersey.
The furthest a 15-seed had ever advanced in the NCAA Tournament prior to this season had been the Sweet 16 by Florida Gulf Coast University in 2013. The last team from New Jersey to reach the Sweet 16 was Seton Hall in 2000, with starting point guard and team-leading scorer Shaheen Holloway.
Holloway made his way back to the Sweet 16 as the head coach of this St. Peters team, and did what he couldn’t over 20 years ago in advancing to the Elite Eight.
“The future is bright, we have one senior with KC, we have five juniors coming back,” said Holloway during the press conference. “When you get a lot of emails and calls about ‘I want my son to play for you I like what you guys are doing’ I think it’s very bright.”
Coach’s Departure
The future for the Peacocks may be bright, but it will be without Holloway, as four days after the loss he was introduced as Seton Hall’s new head coach, signing a six-year deal.
Holloway’s former Peacocks were in attendance at the introductory press conference, St. Peters campus sitting just 15 miles from Seton Hall. Holloway thanked and acknowledged his former team twice at the press conference after he deemed the first round of applause inadequate.
“I wouldn't be up here if it wasn't for those 15 young men right there," said Holloway. “Pirate Nation, we can do it better than that. Pirate Nation— those 15 young men right there. Stand up! Get up!"
Revenue Generated
St. Peters student body population hovers around 3,000, and the university spends about $6.2 million a year on all their athletic programs combined, according to St. Peters University. They just finished the deepest run in the tournament ever by a 15 seed, beating schools like Kentucky that spent triple St. Peter’s athletic department’s budget on the men’s basketball team alone, according to The University of Kentucky.
After the historic run by St. Peters, many people assumed there would be an increased income to the schools athletics budget due to the revenue generated with so many national games. St. Peter's athletic director Rachelle Paul explained that was not the case, as the (at least) $8.1 million generated will be spread across St. Peter’s conference, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, over the next six years.
Paul believes the school could use the money, as it could help with recruiting, scholarships, facility upgrades and more, according to ESPN.
“I would say we've got a ways to go to just get to a point where we're comfortable not crunching numbers for every road trip and every hotel,” Paul said.
Returning junior Banks III was more appreciative during the post-game press conference of the eyes watching during their run.
“We generated a lot of publicity for our school, so it’s just going to help the school out in general. We caught the attention of everybody who wants to come here,” Banks III said.
Recap of Run
The Peacocks went on a 10-game winning streak dating back to late February, before the MAAC tournament and the NCAA tournament started.
Their first game of the NCAA Tournament came against two seeded Kentucky, after a hot first half from Banks III making all four of his three point attempts the game seemed winnable by the underdog Peacocks.
The second half would go back and forth, ultimately ending regulation with two huge buckets by Doug Edert. A catch-and-shoot three-pointer and a floater with 21 seconds left, in which Edert did a pirouette in mid-air, forcing overtime.
The Peacocks knocked down free throws and create a five point lead after going down early in the extra period. Eventually too much to overcome with running out, Kentucky was forced to foul to stop the clock, St. Peters winning 85-79.
St. Peters would face off with Murray State in the round of 32, a team that averaged 80 points per contest through the season. As the game was on the seesaw for the most part, the Peacocks held them to just 27 in the first half and closed with a five-point lead.
The second half was a game of runs, the Peacocks scored eight unanswered points to open, before the Racers punched back. Edert proved clutch again, scoring seven straight points with under four minutes to play when their lead was cut down just two, finishing the game winning 70-60.
As the third 15 seed to ever make the Sweet 16, there was not an expectation that St. Peters would have a chance at beating three-seed Purdue, according to USA Today. Clarence Rupert ignited the Peacocks offense early in the first half, proving doubters wrong, putting up the teams first seven points and 11 total in the first half. Purdue started the second half with a four point lead, and St. Peters would battle them back and forth, tying 10 times and changing leads 15 times throughout the game.
Purdue was forced to foul as the Peacocks garnished a late lead, and almost forced overtime after hitting a three pointer with eight seconds left cutting the Peacocks lead to a single point. Edert knocked down two free throws and St. Peters stopped the Boilermakers offense one more time, winning 67-64.
As the highest seed in history to reach the Elite Eight, the Peacocks now had half the nation on their side as they prepared for UNC, because the winner would go on to play Duke. Creating two major storylines: UNC with the opportunity to play Duke for the first time ever in the NCAA Tournament and the chance to defeat Duke’s legendary Coach Mike Krzyzewski in his final year; or a small school from New Jersey becomes the highest seeded team to ever make the Final Four.
UNC scored the games first nine points and managed a 20-point lead in the first half, the standard for the game and where the lead hovered until the final whistle. St. Peters scored below 50 for the first time during their 10-game win streak, as the UNC defense proved too much for them to overcome, losing 49-69.
Coach Holloway was nothing but proud of his players.
“A group of guys came in here, no one gave a chance to, no one believed in but the people in our locker room and in our program… and made history,” Holloway told The New York Post. “St. Peters did it, point-blank period, and I’m going to end it on that. Great story, you guys should write a lot about it.”