St. Peter’s Becomes Biggest Longshot to Make Elite Eight in NCAA Tournament History After Win over Purdue

St. Peter’s Becomes Biggest Longshot to Make Elite Eight in NCAA Tournament History  After Win over Purdue article feature image
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Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images. Pictured: Matthew Lee of St. Peter’s.

The St. Peter's Peacocks' magical run is not over.

St. Peter's becomes the highest seed in NCAA Tournament history to advance to the Elite Eight after knocking off Purdue.

On National Peacock Day, no less.

A total of 148 No. 15 seeds have entered the NCAA Tournament since 1985; only the St. Peter's Peacocks have advanced to the Elite Eight.

The run started with a win over No. 2 seed Kentucky as 17.5 point underdogs. Then, they defeated Murray State catching +8.5.

And now, they have pulled off the biggest upset in the Sweet 16 or later with a win over Purdue as 13-point underdogs.

The biggest upset prior was Indiana beating Duke in the Sweet 16 as 12-point underdogs in 2002.

St. Peter's had 1,000-1 odds to win the National Championship entering the tournament. That makes them the biggest longshot to make the Elite Eight in tournament history.

Their odds shot down to 300-1 at PointsBet before the Sweet 16. After defeating Purdue, they are now 30-1 to win it all at BetMGM.

The records can go on and on for Shaheen Holloway and his St. Peter's team.

They are the first-ever team from the MAAC conference to make the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight. They are also the first school from New Jersey to make the Elite Eight since the 1991 Seton Hall Pirates.

It can be difficult to put into perspective how monumental the Peacocks reaching the Elite Eight is, as it is truly unprecedented to ever see this big of a longshot make it this far.

But that's just the beauty of March Madness.

About the Author
Chase is a news writer at The Action Network. He specializes in college sports, golf and soccer but will watch anything you can bet on. Catch him on the golf course either carrying a bag or playing with his buddies.

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