The Saint Peter's Peacocks' Cinderella run in the 2022 NCAA tournament continued Friday, as they defeated the Purdue Boilermakers to advance to their first-ever Elite Eight.
Coach Shaheen Holloway's squad knocked off the 3-seed Boilermakers behind 14 points from Daryl Banks III. Guard Doug Edert chipped in 10 points from the bench. The key difference in the game was turnovers -- Purdue had 15 giveaways compared to Saint Peter's eight. The Peacocks are the first 15-seed to make the Elite Eight, and they tied the largest upset in Sweet 16 history (+13), per ESPN Stats & Information research.
Saint Peter's is the only team to win multiple games as a double-digit underdog in an NCAA tournament since the tournament expanded in 1985 (+18.5 vs Kentucky, +13 vs Purdue), per ESPN Stats & Information. The Peacocks also ended a state drought, becoming the first team from New Jersey to reach the Elite Eight since Seton Hall in 1991.
Once the game was over, plenty of stars -- and a few other Cinderella squads -- offered their thoughts on Saint Peter's magical run on social media:
st. peter's ππ
β Ja Morant (@JaMorant) March 26, 2022
.@PeacocksMBB pic.twitter.com/Q8MNlQAbRg
β UMBC Athletics (@UMBCAthletics) March 26, 2022
π¦π¦π¦π¦
β George Kittle (@gkittle46) March 26, 2022
Hoosiers π€ Peacocks
β Cody Zeller (@CodyZeller) March 26, 2022
St.Peter's !!!!!!! Congratulations on the Elite 8 @CoachSha10
β Mike Kidd-Gilchrist (@MKG14) March 26, 2022
That game was awesome... March is Madness ππΌ
β Pat Connaughton (@pconnaughton) March 26, 2022
Cinderella Lives ON!!!!!!!! Congrats Saint Peters ππΎπ―
β Jason Thompson (@jtthekid) March 26, 2022
ππ"next question next question.." https://t.co/wjFJdQVmj9
β Alex Caruso (@ACFresh21) March 26, 2022
We π you @PeacocksMBB! π@Jesuit_BBall pic.twitter.com/s47KjZWcoC
β Loyola Men's Basketball (@RamblersMBB) March 26, 2022
Is Doug Edert on any draft boards?
β Evan Turner (@thekidet) March 26, 2022
DO THE PEACOCK STRUT! π¦#MarchMadness @PeacocksMBB pic.twitter.com/rgMhhquYkB
β NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 26, 2022
Peacocks!!!!!!
β Eli Manning (@EliManning) March 26, 2022
We see you @PeacocksMBB!
β FGCU Men's Hoops (@FGCU_MBB) March 26, 2022
#WingsUp π¦ π΄π | #DunkCity pic.twitter.com/FUEyUtMmzf
Play Ball. Have Fun. https://t.co/P78p0IRwym
β Geno (@GenoSmith3) March 26, 2022
LET'S GOOOO π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ https://t.co/tHgNRW9e6t
β New York Giants (@Giants) March 26, 2022
π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ https://t.co/G5UOvHrhD0
β New York Jets (@nyjets) March 26, 2022
What They Gon Say NowβΌοΈ
β Todd Gurley II (@TG3II) March 26, 2022
Great Game Saint Peter's
On National Peacock Day π¦
β Shaun O'Hara (@ShaunOHara60) March 26, 2022
Never a Doubt!! Keep it Rollin! ππ»
Congrats @PeacocksMBB #StrutUpπ¦ #StayDown #JerseyStrong #EliteEight
Peacocks!!!! !!
β Greg Olsen (@gregolsen88) March 26, 2022
Listen to how @CoachSha10 got his squad ready for this moment! β¬οΈ https://t.co/scYWgeY4hu
Saint Peters is a scrappy team with solid defense. I'll be rooting for them on Sunday.
β Michael Bush (@michaelbush29) March 26, 2022