Fairleigh Dickinson University’s men’s basketball team made history by pulling off a historic upset against top-seeded Purdue Boilermakers in the NCAA tournament, becoming only the second No. 16 seed to ever win a game in March Madness. Despite being outsized on the floor and in the stands, the Knights showed no fear and beat the Boilermakers 63-58. With no player taller than 6-6, Fairleigh Dickinson had to use two players to guard Purdue’s 7-foot-4 All-American center, Zach Edey. However, FDU’s defense was masterful, and Edey missed his first three shots before making a dunk. The victory puts the Knights in the Sweet 16, with the chance to play at Madison Square Garden in New York next week. The top five most important keywords for this content are: Fairleigh Dickinson, NCAA tournament, Purdue, March Madness, upset.
Fairleigh Dickinson creates history by stunning No.1 seed Purdue in March Madness
Fairleigh Dickinson, the smallest team in Division I, pulled off one of the greatest upsets in NCAA Tournament history, defeating the top-seeded Purdue Boilermakers 63-58 in a stunning upset. The victory made them the second 16th seed team to win a game in March Madness. The Knights, with a record of 21-15, displayed no fear and outplayed Purdue (29-6), who had just won the Big Ten championship.
Despite the size difference, FDU swarmed Purdue’s All-American center Zach Edey from the start and implemented a relentless defensive strategy throughout the game. The Knights pressed most of the game and executed an unorthodox style of play, which paid off well.
FDU’s coach Tobin Anderson said that “If we played them 100 times, they’d probably beat us 99 times. Play them 100 times, we have one win. But tonight’s the one we had to be unique, we had to be unorthodox. We had to make it tough on them, just be different.”
Sean Moore scored 19 points to lead FDU in the game. FDU’s defensive strategy was noteworthy, and the Knights held Purdue scoreless for more than five and a half minutes down the stretch. With a 3-pointer by Moore, who hails from suburban Columbus, FDU surged ahead by five points with just over a minute left.
FDU players mobbed each other on the floor of Nationwide Arena after the final horn, where fans from Memphis and Florida Atlantic who were waiting for the day’s final game cheered them on in the final, frantic minutes.
UMBC, five years ago, had overwhelmed Virginia in the first 16-over-1 victory after numerous close calls over the years. No. 16 seeds had a 1-150 record against No. 1 seeds and were 1-151 overall before FDU’s historic victory.
The Knights will face the Memphis-FAU winner on Sunday for a Sweet 16 berth and a chance to play at Madison Square Garden in New York next week, a short drive from their campus in Teaneck, New Jersey.
“Man, I can’t even explain it,” Moore said. “I’m still in shock right now. I can’t believe it. It’s crazy. But it feels amazing.”
This loss was another disappointment for Purdue, who was previously knocked out by Saint Peter’s in the Sweet 16 last year and by North Texas in the first round in 2021. FDU, despite not winning the Northeast Conference Tournament and falling one point short in the title game to Merrimack, created history by beating Purdue.
FDU upsets Purdue in NCAA Tournament: An undersized giant slayer
Fairleigh Dickinson University’s men’s basketball team stunned Purdue Boilermakers in a historic NCAA tournament upset. The Knights, the shortest team in the country, defeated the top-seeded Purdue 63-58 in a nail-biting finish. The victory made FDU only the second No. 16 seed to ever win a game in March Madness.
The undersized FDU team executed a flawless defensive strategy against Purdue’s 7-foot-4 All-American center, Zach Edey. FDU’s players pressed throughout the game, making it challenging for Purdue to get to the basket, while also executing an unorthodox style of play. Roberts, who was 20 inches shorter than Edey, said, “Our job was just to come into the game and throw a punch. We knew what type of game this was.”
In the second half, FDU’s defense made Edey’s life difficult, and he was unable to take a shot in the final nine minutes. Edey praised FDU’s strategy, stating that they had a “great game plan coming in, and they executed it very well.” FDU’s defensive strategy kept Edey from dominating the game and earned them a place in the Sweet 16.
FDU has won two NCAA tournament games in three days, and just being in the tournament is an accomplishment in itself. A year ago, FDU had a 4-22 record, but this season, they have two tournament wins. The team’s success can be attributed to coach Tobin Anderson, who landed the job in May 2022. Anderson took over a team with the second-worst record in the program’s history and brought three players with him from Division II St. Thomas Aquinas.
After the game against Texas Southern, Anderson told his players that he believed they could beat Purdue. Some of Purdue’s players felt disrespected by Anderson’s comments, but his message turned out to be prophetic. FDU’s success can be attributed to their belief in themselves, and Anderson said, “The guys gotta believe.”
FDU will face the winner of the Memphis-FAU game on Sunday, with the chance to play at Madison Square Garden in New York next week. This is an excellent opportunity for the team, especially as their campus is just a short drive away in Teaneck, New Jersey.
Purdue’s loss was a significant disappointment, and the players were devastated. Edey may be a possible NBA lottery pick, but this defeat could sway him to stay another year. When asked about his future, Edey said, “I have no opinion on that. I’ll make my decision going forward.”
Purdue finished 5 of 26 from beyond the arc, including 3 of 15 in the second half. FDU’s defense was excellent, and they made Purdue work hard for their shots. FDU’s victory is a reminder that in college basketball, anything can happen, and no team is invincible. FDU’s success is a testament to their teamwork and belief in themselves.
Fairleigh Dickinson Stuns Top-Seeded Purdue in March Madness
Fairleigh Dickinson University’s men’s basketball team pulled off a historic upset against top-seeded Purdue Boilermakers in the NCAA tournament. Despite being outsized on the floor and in the stands, the undersized Knights showed no fear and beat the Boilermakers 63-58.
With no player taller than 6-6, Fairleigh Dickinson had to use two players to guard Purdue’s 7-foot-4 All-American center, Zach Edey. However, FDU’s defense was masterful, and Edey missed his first three shots before making a dunk. Despite Purdue eventually settling in, the Knights fought back and took a 32-31 lead into halftime.
Sean Moore scored 19 points for FDU, and Roberts finished with 12 points. Cameron Tweedy had 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting for the team.
The victory makes FDU only the second No. 16 seed to ever win a game in March Madness, and the Knights are now set to face the winner of the Memphis-FAU game on Sunday. FDU will have the chance to play at Madison Square Garden in New York next week.
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