The NCAA Tournament is all about upsets. Even still, seeded No. 15 in the East Region and going against No. 2 Kentucky — one of the sport’s ultimate blueblood programs — St. Peters had no chance. Right? As it turned out, they had better than just a chance.
The Peacocks entered Thursday’s game 0-3 NCAA Tournament games. While the expectation was that they’d move to 0-4, it didn’t happen. St. Peters defeated the Wildcats 85-79 in overtime, pulling one of the greatest upsets in NCAA Tournament history in the process.
"YOU CAN FEEL THE MADNESS! SAINT PETER'S PULLS OFF THE UPSET! THE PEACOCKS ARE GIANT KILLERS! THEY DEFEAT KENTUCKY, 85-79! CINDERELLA LIVES, IN INDIANAPOLIS!"- Ian Eagle #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/6JEaNewzBq
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 18, 2022
Unsurpsingly, the two program’s Twitter feeds reacted to the upset in different ways.
DOWN GOES #2 KENTUCKY!!!! PEACOCKS WIN!!! PEACOCKS WIN!!!!#StrutUp🦚 pic.twitter.com/6vIXSi3dfm
— Saint Peter's Men's Basketball (@PeacocksMBB) March 18, 2022
Our season comes to an end in Indy. pic.twitter.com/P3gxoUfR5h
— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) March 18, 2022
They were not the only ones with big reactions. The upset drew a lot of commentary on Twitter.
If you think there is anything better than #MarchMadness… you’re wrong
The 15 seed St. Peter’s Peacocks UPSET the 2 seed Kentucky Wildcats!
For the 10th time in NCAA Tournament history a 15 seed upsets a 2 seed!
ABSOLUTE MADNESS!
— RC Maxfield (@RCMB323) March 18, 2022
The state of New Jersey watching St. Peter’s take down Kentucky pic.twitter.com/PU695AzNyU
— BetMGM 🦁 (@BetMGM) March 18, 2022
Pretty awesome to get to witness history like this. Kentucky’s loss to St. Peter’s is the first No. 2 vs. No. 15 upset in NCAA Tournament history. This will be the “where were you?” moment for our generation.
— Scott Bell (@sbell021) March 18, 2022
Not one kid for St. Peter’s even got a letter from Kentucky. #MarchMadness
— Ross Tucker (@RossTuckerNFL) March 18, 2022
Entering today, Kentucky had beaten 30 consecutive double digit seeds in the NCAA Tournament.
It just lost to St. Peter's.
March has a breakout star.
His name is Shaheen Holloway.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 18, 2022
To me ST Peter’s beating Kentucky is one of the biggest upsets ever in March Madness .This is a total shocker .Tip the hat to @MAACSports & to ST PETER’S as this is really MARCH MADNESS ! Tall about a REAL CINDERELLA!
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) March 18, 2022
Can’t believe it / Did St Peter’s really really beat Kentucky ? Talk about a genuine legit Cinderella story it has to be St Peter’s . No doubt greatest win in the history of the program . As for the Cats one of the shocking defeats they have ever faced in @MarchMadnessMBB .
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) March 18, 2022
Just finished watching St. Peters upset Kentucky 85-79 in overtime! Wow wow WOW, March Madness is here!! 🤯
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) March 18, 2022
St. Peter’s is considered by many the hardest job in the MAAC. It exists in a different solar system than Kentucky in terms of budget, facilities and support. Credit to Shaheen Holloway. This is truly an all-timer.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) March 18, 2022
One of the things that makes March Madness great is how many people get into it. Even casual fans fill out brackets. And how many brackets were completely busted by this shows just how big of an upset St. Peters’ win over Kentucky was.
Saint Peter's BUSTED SOME BRACKETS
• 98% had Kentucky beating St. Peter's
• 87.6% had Kentucky in Sweet 16
• 58.4% had Kentucky in Elite 8
• 37.4% had Kentucky in Final Four
• 12.8% had Kentucky in Championship
• 6.4% had Kentucky winning it all pic.twitter.com/d3XT50iI0o— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 18, 2022
Looking at that, we can only assume that heading into the game, a lot of people would have liked a real Peacock’s chances in a fight against a Wildcat more than St. Peters beating Kentucky. But for One Shining Moment — or 45 shining minutes — that was not the case.
