On this day 4 years ago: UMBC made history as the first #16 seed to win in 1st round

[thebasketballreasons]

It was a special day, I feel that people often overlooked how it happened. You'd expect that when a #1 seed finally fell in the first round, it would be a close game till the end, maybe some lucky shots falling/missing that decided the game. But no, the game was never close since the first few mins of the 2nd half. UMBC was so dominant that you'd wonder if it was actually an upset, or just the better team won.

UVA was beaten on every aspect, it was not even a fluke game. When a 15 seed defeated a 2 seed, I'd be sure that the 2 seed would win 4-1 in a 7 games series. But in this case I dont even think UVA could beat UMBC in a 7 games series, I'd take UMBC in 6.

UMBC 74-54 Virginia (Mar 16, 2018) Box Score - ESPN

Box score for the UMBC Retrievers vs. Virginia Cavaliers NCAAM game from March 16, 2018 on ESPN. Includes all points, rebounds and steals stats.

www.espn.com

 

[jhmossy]

The program never recovered

 

[thebasketballreasons]

The program never recovered

They did, but it only lasted a year. Last March Madness saw Virginia losing again to a heavy underdog, I suppose some things will never change. But anyway, a title is a title, I am sure teams will be happy to win in the national championship game each time they lose to a 16 seed.

 

[jhmossy]

They did, but it only lasted a year. Last March Madness saw Virginia losing again to a heavy underdog, I suppose some things will never change. But anyway, a title is a title, I am sure teams will be happy to win in the national championship game each time they lose to a 16 seed.

2020 - 2nd in ACC, probably 6-7 seed in NCAA tourney if it happens
2021 - ACC regular season champs, had to forfeit in ACC semis due to COVID. Lost to Ohio in first round but had tons of COVID issues. Basically had to travel day before our game. More bad luck than anything.
2022 - a down year but still finished 6th in conference. Headed to NIT.

We’re UVA, not a blue blood. The last decade of UVA basketball has been elite even if there have been some postseason failures. A national title for UVA trumps all of those failures imo. Outsiders can feel however they want. Doesn’t matter to me. If it did, I would have fled the board after losing to UMBC.

 

[thebasketballreasons]

Outsiders can feel however they want. Doesn’t matter to me. If it did, I would have fled the board after losing to UMBC.

You are fortunate that UVA managed to redeem itself the following year, what happened in 2018 no longer mattered after you won it all. If I recall correctly though, UVA was down 30-16 to lowly Gardner Webb at some point in the first round of 2019 March Madness. Of course they caught up after the half and won convincingly in the end, but it makes me wonder what UVA fans would do if they actually ended up losing to 16 seed in back to back years.

 

[JimboBBN]

2020 - 2nd in ACC, probably 6-7 seed in NCAA tourney if it happens
2021 - ACC regular season champs, had to forfeit in ACC semis due to COVID. Lost to Ohio in first round but had tons of COVID issues. Basically had to travel day before our game. More bad luck than anything.
2022 - a down year but still finished 6th in conference. Headed to NIT.

We’re UVA, not a blue blood. The last decade of UVA basketball has been elite even if there have been some postseason failures. A national title for UVA trumps all of those failures imo. Outsiders can feel however they want. Doesn’t matter to me. If it did, I would have fled the board after losing to UMBC.

The UMBC - Virginia game looked a lot like your avatar.

I'll give credit where its due, you took it like a champ. You being such a good loser was enough good karma to win the title in 2019

 

[jhmossy]

You are fortunate that UVA managed to redeem itself the following year, what happened in 2018 no longer mattered after you won it all. If I recall correctly though, UVA was down 30-16 to lowly Gardner Webb in the first round of 2019 March Madness. Of course they caught up after the half and won convincingly in the end, but it makes me wonder how UVA fans would behave if they actually ended up losing to 16 seed in back to back years.

Gardner Webb was just about making things interesting for the 30 for 30.

 

[jhmossy]

The UMBC - Virginia game looked a lot like your avatar.

I'll give credit where its due, you took it like a champ. You being such a good loser was enough good karma to win the title in 2019

Tons of experience being a good loser that it made it easy to be a great loser. Arguably the best loser of all time.

 

[jhmossy]

Also, shows that DeAndre Hunter is one of the most important players in NCAA tourney history. Lose to 16 seed without him, win it all with him.

 

[thebasketballreasons]

Also, shows that DeAndre Hunter is one of the most important players in NCAA tourney history. Lose to 16 seed without him, win it all with him.

A better question is: Would UVA have survived UMBC in 2018 with healthy DeAndre Hunter? Hes a very important player to this team, but you lost by 20pts so its debatable whether one player could make enough difference to overturn such a result. After all, Hunter aint going to stop UMBC from shooting 12/24 from beyond the arc.

 

[jhmossy]

A better question is: Would UVA have survived UMBC in 2018 with healthy DeAndre Hunter? Hes a very important player to this team, but you lost by 20pts so its debatable whether one player could make enough difference to overturn such a result. After all, Hunter aint going to stop UMBC from shooting 12/24 from beyond the arc.

No clue. Doesn’t matter really. We lost by 20 because we tensed up when it got close and they played with more confidence. He’s also a matchup nightmare on both sides of the ball.

We probably don’t lose with him imo but I realize it’s bold to say that when we got raw dogged. It’s part of our story at this point. Maybe we never win it all if we don’t suffer that massive loss.

 

[thebasketballreasons]

No clue. Doesn’t matter really. We lost by 20 because we tensed up when it got close and they played with more confidence. He’s also a matchup nightmare on both sides of the ball.

I am not so sure it was just a confidence problem, it looked as if it was just the better team won. Do you think that UVA team without Deandre Hunter could beat UMBC in a 7 game series? I actually dont, I have UMBC in 6.

 

[jhmossy]

I am not so sure it was just a confidence problem, it looked as if it was just the better team won. Do you think that UVA team without Deandre Hunter could beat UMBC in a 7 game series? I actually dont, I have UMBC in 6.

lol yes…Bennett would adjust and it’d be 4-1 at worst.

 

[IUfanBorden]

Of course they caught up after the half and won convincingly in the end, but it makes me wonder what UVA fans would do if they actually ended up losing to 16 seed in back to back years.

There would only be 49 states....

 

[Fighter of the Nightman]

The program never recovered

Exactly why people obsessing over last year’s Tournament as this clear predictive measure for this year are dumb.