COLUMBUS, Ohio — The impossible happened. Even after witnessing it first-hand, it’s still difficult to sum it all up into words. But this time of year is made for the most unlikely of heroes. We enter March not knowing who they will be and unsure of what they will accomplish. When we see it, it leaves us amazed at what a college basketball team armed with moxie and belief can do.
Fairleigh Dickinson (21-15) has officially entered March Madness lore, creating a moment that will live on long after all the members of this remarkable bunch are gone. Highlights from its colossal upset will be featured on television every spring until the end of time.
The Knights’ 63-58 stunner over Purdue sent shockwaves throughout the sports world. The small school from New Jersey became just the second 16-seed to topple a 1-seed. Fairleigh Dickinson joins UMBC — which defeated Virginia in 2018 — as the only schools to pull off this rare trick.
“What a night. Incredible win for us. Incredible win for our program, our school,” coach Tobin Anderson said. “Hard to put it in words right now. Honestly, it’s really hard to even —it just happened, right?”
Believe it.
"FDU BELIEVE IT? FOR JUST THE SECOND TIME EVER, A 16 BEATS A 1!" 🏀🔥🔥🔥#MarchMadness #FairleighDickinson pic.twitter.com/1ju4ur6jI0
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 18, 2023
The gap between power conference programs and mid-majors has been shrinking for years. It was only a matter of time before a 16-seed beat a 1. We all remember where we were when UMBC became the Neil Armstrong of college basketball.
However, it’s still remarkable that only five years later it happened again.
Fairleigh Dickinson — a 23-point underdog — showed no fear, even before the game tipped off at Nationwide Arena. Anderson didn’t quite predict an upset, but he came pretty close to calling his shot.
After defeating Texas Southern in the play-in game on Wednesday, Anderson said: “The more I see Purdue, the more I think we can beat them.”
Bold. Brash. Arrogant. Totally New Jersey. Last year, 15-seed Saint Peter’s rode confidence to an unprecedented trip to the Elite Eight. The team it beat in the Sweet 16? Purdue. Maybe the Boilermakers (29-6) should stay away from teams from Garden State.
For long stretches of the season, Purdue looked like the biggest thing in college basketball. Fueled by National Player of the Year, 7-foot-4 Zach Edey, the Boilermakers towered over the opposition. Surely, they wouldn’t have any trouble against a team without a starter taller than 6’6″?
FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON ONIONS! 🏀🧅 #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/CkwCNssG3x
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) March 18, 2023
But college kids have always been fearless. Call it irrational confidence. When the ball is tipped, Edey might be Goliath, but every player knows that they have a shot to be David. Perhaps no one embodies Fairleigh Dickinson’s spirit quite like junior forward Sean Moore. A year ago, he was playing at Division II St. Thomas Aquinas. Against Purdue, he scored a team-best 19 points – more than double his season average. For a guy who is from Columbus, this is a Hollywood story.
“I can’t even explain it,” Moore said. “I’m shocked right now. I can’t believe it. It’s crazy. But it feels amazing.”
The crowd at Nationwide Arena was mostly Purdue fans. This is Big Ten country so many of them have made the 240-mile trip before. However, there were also plenty of fans who were rooting to see a historic upset. The chants of “F-D-U” grew louder as the game went on. The score was tight throughout as neither team led by more than six points.
Fairleigh Dickinson never completely stopped Edey (21 points, 15 rebounds), but he never overwhelmed them either. And with his teammates struggling to make shots, that gave the Knights the opportunity they needed. They never trailed after taking the lead in the game’s final 8:19.
The jubilation afterward was raw emotion, an expression of pure satisfaction that brought smiles to everyone who doesn’t have a rooting interest. It’s a reminder of why we love March Madness. No matter the odds, sometimes the impossible can happen.
“I’m not sure how much I meant it,” Anderson said of his prediction earlier in the week. “I wanted our guys to believe.”
"People didn't think we belonged here, we're just showing people that we can do it."
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 18, 2023
Sean Moore is all smiles after (16) FDU knocked off (1) Purdue 👏#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/EgYDn8Z6t2