Tonight, UMBC became the first 16-seed in NCAA Tournament history to beat a #1 seed. Prior to this game, 16-seeds were 0-135. UMBC finished second in the America East conference in the regular season, 3 games behind first-place Vermont. The Retrievers made the Tournament by hitting a last-second 3-pointer to beat Vermont in the America East Championship. As a reward, the Committee put them on the 16-seed line and slotted them against the #1 overall seed Virginia who was 31-2 and had the best defense in the nation.
A minute after the game started, former CBS college hoops analyst Seth Davis tweeted one of his famous “sharpie” tweets.
Virginia. Sharpie.
— Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) March 17, 2018
I’m sure that won’t come back to haunt him. At. All.
The first half was typical Virginia basketball. Played at a mind-numbingly slow pace. Virginia scored 21 points. UMBC hit some 3s to hang around and made a shot before halftime to tie the game.
UMBC chasing history 👀
The Retrievers are tied with (1) Virginia at the half! #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/dcZgoOeVUM
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 17, 2018
Yes, tell me more about history.
Thomas Jefferson is looking up at this game in disbelief
— Justis Mosqueda (@JuMosq) March 17, 2018
Thomas Jefferson did not start this university to be the first 1 seed to lose to a 16 seed in the NCAA men's basketball tournament
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) March 17, 2018
The only colleges to make the Final Four in both #chess and basketball are Duke, Illinois, and NYU. (Texas Tech and UMBC can join them this month)
— George Jones (@gwjones7) March 17, 2018
So how do people feel about Virginia?
In fairness, on Selection Sunday, basically everybody said Virginia got a tough draw.
— Gary Parrish (@GaryParrishCBS) March 17, 2018
This would be the most Virginia sports thing ever
— Brian McElhinny (@rtjr) March 17, 2018
As we got into the second half, the UMBC twitter account started taking names
It's ok, we sell whiteout 😉
— UMBC Bookstore (@umbcbookstore) March 17, 2018
Hi Seth, remember when you declared the game over at tip? We are up 14 with 14 minutes left https://t.co/duUviOMvZO
— UMBC Athletics (@UMBCAthletics) March 17, 2018
Give me some dog content.
https://twitter.com/TheBenSwain/status/974838587740049414
The only thing that would make this better is if UMBC's point guard was literally Air Bud
— Michael Lananna (@mlananna) March 17, 2018
Coming to ruin your bracket pic.twitter.com/o5sfgzPTBN
— Brody Logan (@BrodyLogan) March 17, 2018
Not hyperbole.
No exaggeration, this might be the biggest upset in sports history.
Bigger than Red Sox down 3-0 in the ALCS. Bigger than Miracle. Bigger than 8-seed Nova winning the title. Bigger than Namath.
— Kevin Pulsifer (@imPULSEivity) March 17, 2018
University of Mass Bracket F'ers
— D.Baby ⚾️ 🎣🛶🥍🎸 (@BMoreBirdsNest) March 17, 2018
Then against the odds, UMBC started to pull away
https://twitter.com/TheBenSwain/status/974848462587158528
Virginia sucks!!
— SuckMeter (@SuckMeter) March 17, 2018
UMBC. Sharpie.
— Mid-Major Madness (@mid_madness) March 17, 2018
What if I told you, an early stroke of a pen turned one man’s fun little game into a night of torment and distress he never would have imagined?
“Not so Sharpie” a 30 for 30 https://t.co/r6NtbRpBGJ
— Freezing Cold Takes (@OldTakesExposed) March 17, 2018
https://twitter.com/TubingTyler/status/974848476092616704
#UMBC pic.twitter.com/ITh00dfw1e
— Dominic (@Jagerdom) March 17, 2018
virginia is the worst state in the union. lived there for a year, that state is hell. go umbc
— Jon Bois (@jon_bois) March 17, 2018
I don't think Jim Nantz has been this surprised since Tin Cup! #umbc @CBSSports
— Brian Mroziak (@BMroziak) March 17, 2018
Virginia, the number 1 team in the country, is getting DOMINATED by a 16 seed. I can't comprehend this.
— Crazie Talk (@crazietalker) March 17, 2018
MOAR DOGS
https://twitter.com/zjwhitman/status/974849246221385729
https://twitter.com/rubieeliz/status/974848889676328960
it appears that UVA is about to get…
*puts on sunglasses*
PUPSET— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) March 17, 2018
Tell me more about Virginia playing “beautiful basketball”
Now we should never have to read another essay attempting to shame us on not "appreciating" UVA's "style"
— Laura Keeley (@laurakeeley) March 17, 2018
Virginia is going to have the two most stunning losses in college basketball history:
1982 to Chaminade
2018 to UMBC#MarchMadness— Josh Rowntree (@JRown32) March 17, 2018
Schadenfreude, thy name is UVA.
— BigBurgher (@BigBurgher) March 17, 2018
No. 1 seeds are going to fall to 135-1 by way of a third-year head coach who was a ball boy for the school he’s beating.
March, man.
— Conor O'Neill (@ConorONeill_DI) March 17, 2018
UMBC layed it on in the last minute and stretched the lead out to 20.
T W E N T Y
Over the #1 team in the nation.
UMBC just covered the spread by 40 points
— Ramzy Nasrallah (@ramzy) March 17, 2018
https://twitter.com/CrimsonTider74/status/974850956549648384
This is truly magical.
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) March 17, 2018
https://twitter.com/RyanScarpino/status/974851284380667905
How BIG was this Upset. Consider UBMC was 23 point underdogs to Virginia. UBMC lost 83-39 to Albany earlier season UBMC is FIRST 16 seed EVER to beat a ONE SEED. A blowout to boot. 74-54. #Madness.
— Bob Pompeani (@KDPomp) March 17, 2018
I'm not a court storm guy, and I'm sure security would prevent it, but this merits a court storm
— Jerry Palm (@jppalmCBS) March 17, 2018
Not even caring abut the rest of my bracket, I witnessed history
— Shelby Mast (@BracketWAG) March 17, 2018
PUT SOME RESPECK ON IT! WE HAVE DEFEATED NO.1 OVERALL SEED VIRGINIA 74-54
— UMBC Athletics (@UMBCAthletics) March 17, 2018
THEY’RE GOOD RETRIEVERS, BRENT
— WeRateDogs (@dog_rates) March 17, 2018
Anyone have any perspective on this?
https://twitter.com/AnthraxJones/status/974852533842739201
16 seeds have more NCAA Tournament wins than the Washington Capitals have Stanley Cups (@SportsChannel8)
— The Steelers n'at (@thesteelersnat) March 17, 2018
BYEEEE
Tell @SethDavisHoops, who sharpied in Virginia at tip, that we said “sup” https://t.co/50MmnsJJqX
— UMBC Athletics (@UMBCAthletics) March 17, 2018
Hey Ian, just wondering where you are at on your brackets? I only did one and i’m still alive 98% on the ESPN bracket challenge.
[…] become the first 16-seed to defeat a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament when they topped Virginia in epic and hilarious fashion. Vermont has appeared in four straight America East Championship Games. The Catamounts got revenge […]