By Taris Young | @Taris_the_Gunna
Sports Capital Journalism Program
INDIANAPOLIS — Saint Peter’s Director of Athletics Rachelle Paul said that Friday night’s historic victory over Kentucky in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament last night’s victory put the university on the map. “It’s been a great thing for folks back on campus,” Paul said as the Peacocks prepared for the second-round meeting with Murray State. “There was a huge student watch party last night and they’re planning another one for tomorrow.
“It’s just great, so exciting to be a part of Saint Peter’s University and we are really proud of the product were putting on the basketball court right now,” Paul went on. “We are also proud of these young men. Off the basketball court they are extremely great young men and Coach (Shaheen) Holloway does a great job trying to develop them on the basketball court. His primary focus is to develop them off the court and prepare them for life after college.”
When Saint Peter’s takes on Murray State, it will mark the first time in team history for the Racers to be the higher seed in the round of 32. Saint Peter’s (20-11) and Murray State (31-2) will each attempt to reach a regional semifinal game for the first time in school history.
The hours since the victory over the No. 2-seeded Wildcats – just the tenth for a No. 15 seed since the brackets were expanded in 1985 — have been crazy for the Saint Peter’s basketball players. They have images of people celebrating back on the campus in Jersey City, N.J.
“It’s been amazing, to be honest,” said junior forward said junior forward Fousseyni Drame. “We are not surprised of our success, because this is what we’ve been doing for three years.”
Junior guard Matthew Lee added, “It’s honestly a surreal feeling knowing that they’re so proud of us. We’ve just got to keep on going.”
Saint Peter’s junior guards Daryl Banks III and Doug Edert both got plenty of rest last night, but both their phones were blowing up after their victory. “I made sure to get my sleep in because we knew we had to be rested,” Banks said. “Really just my phone was blowing up a lot. A lot of notifications. That was a lot to go through.”
Edert agreed. “It was really great,” he said. “I thought everyone left here with all smiles and we had a great time, but same thing as Daryl said, phone was blowing up and stuff, which is awesome. Got normal sleep and it’s just another game.”
Holloway said he has not had any sleep in the last nine days, and his phone had 791 text messages after last night’s victory. “Last week was our conference tournament,” Holloway said. “Three straight games there plus the championship game and I got food poison on Monday so I was down for the count on three days. The team came down before me.”
Murray State has been to the round of 32 four times but has never advanced to the Sweet 16.
“I alerted them last night after the game that tomorrow night is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Racer coach Matt McMahon. “We don’t back down from that. It’s the truth. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and then that’s the end of it.”
Sophomore guard Justice Hill said the challenge is to concentrate on the next step. “Coach tells us to focus on each game,” Hill said, “and I feel like we have to focus on tomorrow and then focus on the future when the time comes.”
