Just a nit -- but 'tiny UMBC'; they do have a student enrollment of just over 11,000; UVA is only 16,000 students.
As a member of Retriever Nation, I am happy beyond belief!
7
You have to feel bad for Virginia. They have been in many tournament games, and always come up short of the golden ring. Now to lose to a 16 seed as the 1 seed is the ultimate humiliation. This school should be much better in football, basketball and lacrosse. What athlete would not want to attend the university built by Thomas Jefferson and which still keeps Edgar Allen Poe's lawn dormitory room as a shrine?
2
UMBC has been the national chess champions six times. This is academically a very high performing school. Although not an HBCU it is nonetheless the number one University feeding African-American students to Ivy League graduate programs and medical schools.
I hope that now they are on the map for basketball many more people take a look at what a great university this is. US news and world report rated it the number one up-and-coming University. People should really read about UMBC and their amazing President Freeman Hrabowski.
5
"This one was for Princeton, East Tennessee State, Western Carolina — all the No. 16 seeds that had come close to upsets as the biggest underdogs on the biggest stage."
Practically shed a tear reading this story.
It's why NYTimes is the best sport writing in the biz. Bravo.
2
What would have happened if the ridiculous technical foul call that took Zack Thomas out of the game far too early? MSU might have lost to Bucknell ending most if not all brackets! Izzo gave Bucknell no credit, showing his true self, and representing the school that allowed one of the worst sex offender physicians in history to operate freely. The student athletes of Bucknell representing the Patriot League should be proud today.
Great line: “ they picked a bad day to have a bad day.”
3
To those saying they never heard of UMBC before. Our president had a segment on 60 Minutes a few years ago describing the University. Weird that people seem to minimize a school because they aren't a sport powerhouse that has a bunch of atheletes who get paid to go there and don't attend class.
5
Insousiance. This is why i read the New York Times. Love it. Red Smith is smiling.
1
UMBC just has better players. Virginia doesn't have players as good as Jairus Lyles or KJ Maura. That boring defensive style of play might work in the middle of a season where opposing players don't have time to prepare for you and one game doesn't mean much. But when you play a one-game playoff talent is what wins not schemes.
2
Well, that blows up President Obama’s (I love typing that) bracket—he had Virginia playing for the national title. But it clears the path a bit for my Tar Heels!
1
We're gonna have fun, fun, fun now that daddy threw the bracket away....
1
Look at it this way: Virginia had a tremendous regular season, after starting outside the top 25. This is only an upset because they did so well this year. it would b one thing if they had been given a high ranking in October, but they earned a number 1 ranking coming from nowhere. They should be proud of that, and put this one loss behind them.
1
Congrats to Virginia for putting themselves in a position to suffer an upset like this in the first place, no pun intended. Had they been seeded 2nd they wouldn’t have to deal with the historical aspect of this loss.
1
Bart...so Virginia's pre-tournament winning record and tournament seeding are to blame ?
Seek counseling and critical thinking skills.
6
I think Bart is saying losing as a 2 seed wouldn't have been as horrible or historical.
1
BEST GAME EVER - Thank you UMBC, your tenacity, poise and inner strength are inspirational! Gives me the motivation to fight my dragons!
3
To paraphrase the late great Howard Cosell any team can beat any other team at some point.
5
If you make all your shots, you win. Doesn't matter who you are playing against. Statistics are a predictable science, but anomalies will always occur. Look at the 69 Mets.
UMBC reminds me of the 1990 Loyola Marymount team. Two star players beating higher rated team making it to the final 8.
2
Looks like Warren Buffet will hold on to that million for another year.
5
After its last seconds loss to UMBC that put UMBC into the NCAA, University of Vermont went on to a first round loss in the NIT. On their flight home, a smoke condition materialized in the aircraft. It was a bad week for the Catamounts.
Actually, when your team loses, I always root for the team that beat your team (unless its the Yankees). So lets hope UMBC's luck and bold spirit keeps them going as far as possible. Last night, they looked like the Golden State Warriors.
9
Classic New Englander comment:
“... unless it’s the Yankees.”
Well said, Vermonter!
1
This loss will hurt for years to come for these Virginia Cavs, but the lessons learned (like never underestimate your opponent) will make them stronger men...
9
Looks like I picked the wrong NCAA tournament to quit sniffing glue !
46
Great line and homage to Lloyd Bridges. I'm laughing hysterically.
11
And this is why it's Madness!
In all the best ways.
Fantastic ball play tonight.
16
Great bunch of kids, excellent yet modest coach, and a belief in each other that was strong enough to do the unthinkable. Of course my bracket lies in ruins (I picked Virginia to win) but what is that compared to witnessing history and seeing this lovable team pull off the greatest (men's) college basketball upset of all times.
17
If some bookie had offered me Virginia 19 points at any odds, I certainly would have bet the house, the farm, and probably even the two kids.
18
Virginia has no stars. There top player scores 14 points a game. You can't win the tournament without stars.
I’m waiting to see who in America comes up with a perfect bracket now.
20
Nobody -- check out ESPN's bracket page.
1
UMBC is what’s beautiful about March Madness. One team wins, one team loses... you go on or you go home. An underdog - a never heard of dog - can take down a major player because during that one game the underdog was a better.
13
My bracket is busted, but it was worth it! Those UMBC kids were magnificent!
23
And there goes about 99.9 percent of all the tournament bracket wagers in America!
15
I remember Princeton in the 1960’s!
5
For all the good students and faculty out there on Wilkens Avenue, and to all the alumni of UMBC (aka UCLA, University of Catonsville Left of Arbutus -- ask a Baltimorean what that means, they get the joke), congratulations!
I predict strong newspaper and picture frame sales on St. Patrick's Day in the Monumental City.
14
U Must Be Crazy was what we also called it when I attended.
1
One of the biggest upsets in world sporting history!
Also the first time 99.99% of Americans have heard of UMBC
14
Guess they were too cavalier, after all!
13
AND UMBC is a good school academically, too. Go Retrievers!
31
Holy frickin WOW!! The underdog will always rise!! UMBC, Marshall and Buffalo have stolen the show!
11
what a choke job
3
Not bad for a bunch of world class chess masters.
5
Did anyone see the UVM game in Burlington?
University of Maryland-Baltimore County... UVM?
I watched all three UVM-UMBC games—the first two, which UVM won by a combined 43 points, including by 28 following the dedication of UMBC’s new home court—and the heartbreaking (for this longtime UVM fan) AE tournament final in Burlington. (And, by the way, the Lyles shot that won the game was not a “miracle.” It was a shot he made all afternoon.) Although the winning margin was 3 instead of 20, what was similar about the two games was the way the teams played. At UVM their coach told his team to have fun and enjoy the game. That’s the way they played. Our guys played like their lives depended on it. Congratulations to the UMBC players and their coach. I hope you keep it going.
4
Meyerhoff Scholars and nów this!
Go Hrabowski !!!
12
A great sign when everyone toasts the university president instead of an overpaid coach.
1
The University of Maryland-Baltimore County --- America's sweethearts.
22
This loss is going to haunt those Virginia players for the rest of their lives. For anyone that goes to the NBA, this will follow them.
3
It will haunt the Virginia players, especially the ones that don’t make it to the pros. For the players that do, it will end up being just a bad experience among many other experiences they have in their careers. And for the vast majority of Americans, nobody will care other than U of V fans by this time next year.
Don’t over-think this. The players will carry on, get jobs, get married, have kids and grandkids and in short, real life will happen. They won’t forget, but it won’t devastate their lives.
Besides, nationally, Virginia is not one of the basketball colleges that people love to hate. Most of us are waiting on a similar fate to happen to Kentucky.
22
This loss will join "Chaminade?!?!?" in Virginia's lore.
In a 5 game series Virginia wins 3 games to 1.
All that was proven tonight is that any team can lose on any given day.
2
Thanks for the silly hypothetical. UVA had one game, and they lost. Them's the facts, Jack --UMBC plays on. Virginia goes home.
David routs Goliath. History is made. And so much more than you suggest was proven. The #16 beats the #1 seed on the country. Maybe let's focus on the idea that any team can win. Let's pay attention to the unlikely winners, to those who triumph over adversity Go Retrevers.
8
I think the opposite. UMBC 5 games to 0. Viriginia doesnt' have the stars to keep up with UMBC team.
4
Bart took English and Phys Ed, but no Math. In addition, 3 1 = 4.
1
Texas A&M is in the SEC, not the Big 12.
Refs may have missed a foul against Auburn on Providence's last shot, but TV replay is at least as decisive that the foul called against Auburn in the last minute was a clean steal.
3
If Virginia is the best of the supposedly tough ACC, maybe the conference is way overrated.
6
That's why they race horses. Anybody can sit around in the saloon and talk about which horse is stronger, bigger, faster. But it doesn't prove squat. Computers can pick the national champion in any sport at the beginning of the season. But it doesn't mean squat. The Patriots were a sure pick to win the Super Bowl over the Eagles with their second-string quarterback. Didn't mean squat. And now this. Not even a squeaker.
The Retrievers won by 20 points! Dawgs!
31
I had University of Maryland Baltimore County going all the way.
No, of course I didn't. But I'm rooting for them now.
What a wonderful thing this March Madness is!
59
I was in the stadium. Slowly, we all started catching on to what was going on. It was an incredible couple of hours for humanity.
7
Watching on TV, it was like watching a revival meeting revving up. I believe!
1
Solid, one-stop coverage NY Times! Well done.
54
Agreed! beautifully written article!
Even for one who rarely looks at a basketball game.
4