CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Two years in the past, when Saint Peter’s launched into an NCAA Event run for the ages, few followers exterior of the northeast had ever heard of the varsity because it snuck up on the giants of the game.
Now everybody is aware of who the Peacocks are, and of their return to the Huge Dance on Thursday, their opponent left nothing to likelihood.
Tennessee dominated from the tip, slashing the tires of Cinderella’s carriage and sending New Jersey’s lone March Insanity entrant dwelling with a 83-49 loss within the Spherical of 64. The resounding verdict was a reminder of simply how troublesome and particular the Peacocks’ Elite Eight look was as a No. 15 seed.
“It goes to point out how superb that run was,” stated Saint Peter’s level guard Latrell Reid, the lone holdover from the 2022 squad. “I do know everyone was anticipating one thing like that once more, but it surely simply goes to point out how loopy this event is.”
Thursday evening’s slaughter is the destiny that sometimes befalls a No. 15 seed. The fact was not misplaced on Peacocks head coach Bashir Mason, who was nonetheless teaching Wagner two years in the past when Shaheen Holloway guided Saint Peter’s previous second-seeded Kentucky, a ranked Murray State squad, and Huge Ten champion Purdue.
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“As I am strolling down right here simply shortly reflecting on the sport and simply additionally enthusiastic about the historical past of Saint Peter’s, the run right here, I am reflecting on who they beat to make it to the Elite Eight,” Mason stated within the postgame press convention. “Then you concentrate on what our recreation was like tonight, that run we did two years in the past, that was spectacular. That was actually spectacular for that to occur for a small faculty in Jersey Metropolis.”
Not that this Saint Peter’s version was anticipated to be again right here so shortly. The Peacocks have been projected to complete close to the underside of the MAAC in most preseason forecasts. They wound up with a document of 19-14 and a MAAC Event banner to hold.
In Thursday’s postgame handshake line, Tennessee coach Rick Barnes gave Mason some invaluable perspective.
“I simply advised him I believe he is acquired an incredible future, and so they’ve carried out an incredible job,” Barnes stated. “Attending to go this event is tough. Whenever you get right here, proper now it is powerful once you lose as a result of, imagine me, they got here into this recreation anticipating to win, and there isn’t any doubt with what that they had carried out two years in the past, and with a crew that acquired it going right here on the finish.”
FIVE TAKEAWAYS
1. Brother vs. Brother
Within the 1992 Candy 16 in Philadelphia, Seton Corridor coach P.J. Carlesimo famously gave freshman sub Danny Hurley a future towards powerhouse Duke so he may guard his All-America brother Bobby. The tried psych-out didn’t work – Duke gained with out a lot hassle – but it surely was price making an attempt.
Quick-forward 32 years. Saint Peter’s introduced freshman Armoni Zeigler off the bench towards Tennessee, whose level guard is his half-brother Zakai Zeigler. They didn’t guard one another full time – Armoni is extra of a two-guard, however they did combine it up a number of instances on the courtroom.
These encounters have been all enterprise, like they have been whole strangers – which is what you’ll anticipate on this scenario. Zakai completed with 11 factors and 10 assists, whereas Armoni went scoreless in his 16 minutes.
2. Latrell Reid’s apology
Maybe as a result of he had skilled all of it earlier than, Reid was Saint Peter’s greatest participant towards Tennessee. The Willingboro native and Trenton Catholic grad completed with a team-high 17 factors, however he additionally acquired ejected after getting hit with two technical fouls.
On the finish of the postgame press convention, Reid provided an unprompted apology.
“One very last thing. I am sorry for getting ejected immediately,” Reid introduced. “I am a competitor, and I did not imply for it to get the very best of me immediately. That is simply not who I’m. I do not assume I acquired a tech all yr. We have been jawing, and that is simply what opponents do on the market.”
Issues did get chippy, however Mason was grateful for Reid holding himself accountable.
“I name that ‘character reveal,'” Mason stated of the apology. “I assumed we skilled some adversity early into the sport, our feelings got here out and did not permit us to focus and play on the degree that we’re able to.”
3. Drame twins superior
The 2022 Peacocks scattered into the switch portal to blended outcomes at greatest, however Reid wasn’t the one one to return to the Dance this March.
Twin forwards Fousseyni Drame and Hassan Drame made it with Duquesne, and on Thursday afternoon Fousseyni tallied eight factors and eight rebounds because the Eleventh-seeded Dukes took down sixth-seeded BYU 71-67, incomes a second-round date with third-seeded Illinois on Saturday.
4. Peacocks followers traveled
As anticipated, Tennessee orange was the dominant colour all through the 19,000-seat Spectrum Middle. Nevertheless, a vocal contingent of some hundred Peacocks followers made themselves heard early and sometimes. It was a little bit of a distinction with fellow metropolitan-area underdog Wagner, which had only a few followers current for its afternoon loss to North Carolina.
It is obvious that Saint Peter’s 2022 run cast some die-hard followers for all times.
“That is simply Peacock nation proper there: They present up, they present out,” Reid stated. “We’re very pleased that they did that, and we’re very appreciative. They have been doing that each one yr. We without end have love for these guys.”
Added teammate Marcus Randolph: “It means rather a lot. This can be a nice assist system. We like to see it.”
5. Kentucky flashback
Shortly earlier than tip-off, as reside footage from the ultimate minutes of Kentucky’s loss to 13th-seeded Oakland aired on the hanging scoreboard, Tennessee followers all through the world erupted in delight. The SEC hatreds run deep; within the Huge East, in contrast, applications pull for one another within the NCAA Event as a result of success lifts the entire league financially and reputationally.
It additionally was a deju vu second for Saint Peter’s, which two years in the past launched its epic run by taking down one other underachieving Wildcats squad. On the time, everybody knew that win particular. Final evening, towards lengthy odds, its legend grew.
Jerry Carino has coated the New Jersey sports activities scene since 1996 and the school basketball beat since 2003. He’s an Related Press High 25 voter. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.