INDIANAPOLIS — St. Peter coach Shaheen Holloway stated proper from the beginning that he did not deliver his workforce to Indianapolis within the first two NCAA rounds to come back and lose.
Holloway was proper.
Peacock heads to the Candy 16 for the primary time in class historical past after beating Murray State 70-60 on Saturday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The successful Peacock will play Sunday’s sport between Texas and Purdue.
“I am proud that these guys are enjoying on a unique form of stage,” Holloway stated. “The NCAA Championship is each child’s dream. Enjoying in MAAC is a good event – I imply an excellent league. We play on ESPN+. We do not get plenty of large TV video games. So these guys get an opportunity to showcase expertise on the large stage. That is what I am happy with. It. These guys have labored laborious for this second. I’m simply so happy with them.”
St Peter’s, with round 2,300 college students enrolled, is the workforce that feels the happiest within the event to date. The Peacock shocked second-seeded Kentucky within the first spherical after which led from begin to end by defeating Murray State, who entered Saturday with solely two losses of the season.
The Peacock, who has the longest lively Division I successful streak at 9 video games, joins the Florida Gulf Coast (2013) and Oral Roberts (2023) as the one fifteenth seed to succeed in the Candy 16 because the area was expanded to 64 groups in 1985.
Saint Peter’s will not should journey far to play Candy 16 as a result of Jersey Metropolis, New Jersey, the place the varsity is situated, is barely about 90 miles from Philadelphia.
On the Candy 16, once more, it is one other fast turnaround,” stated Peacock keeper Doug Eddert. “And we’re not going to go very excessive. What we have completed is superb, nevertheless it’s already previously, and we have now to maneuver on and begin making ready for the subsequent workforce.”
In simply 4 seasons, Holloway has taken the Peacocks the furthest they’ve come within the championship. A part of the reason being that his gamers have adopted the mindset of their head coach. Holloway was a tenacious participant who did not maintain again on anybody throughout his four-year profession at Seton Corridor. He even beat the likes of Kobe Bryant to win the MVP award at McDonald’s All-American Recreation in 1996.
“That is how I performed, wasn’t it? I performed that means,” Holloway stated. “I performed to present it 110% on a regular basis. I inform my guys on a regular basis, give me 100%, I am going to provide you with 200%. I used to be an honest participant. I’m younger, individuals counted me. So I had one thing to show each time, so I skilled like that… The factor I see is: It is a give and take. When you give me laborious work in protection, I am going to allow you to play offensively. That is us.
“Give me what I would like in protection and offense, you possibly can go there. Do not get out of the sport enjoying for me making errors in offense. Get out of the sport making errors in protection. That is how it’s.”
Peacock blocked seven photographs and grabbed Murray State with 34.6% in taking pictures and 19 factors under their season’s level common.
“I am going to say this,” Holloway stated. “It will get just a little loopy. I’ve guys from New Jersey and New York Metropolis.” “Do you suppose we’re afraid of something? Do you suppose we’re anxious about guys attempting to tone and tighten our muscle groups?”
