Busting Brackets
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NCAA Basketball: Ranking the Sweet 16 teams in 2022 NCAA Tournament

By Joey Loose

Mar 17, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Saint Peter's Peacocks guard Doug Edert (25) reacts after defeating the Kentucky Wildcats during the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 17, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Saint Peter's Peacocks guard Doug Edert (25) reacts after defeating the Kentucky Wildcats during the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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St. Peter’s Peacocks guard Daryl Banks III (5) and guard Doug Edert Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports
St. Peter’s Peacocks guard Daryl Banks III (5) and guard Doug Edert Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports /

16. Saint Peter’s (#15 seed)

When the bracket was revealed last Sunday, the final team revealed was Saint Peter’s, the 15-seed in the East region. We already knew that the Peacocks would be in the Big Dance after winning the MAAC Tournament, so there was no suspense when their name was revealed. However, they were no doubt seen by many as the team that Kentucky would drub as the first step of another deep Tournament run.

For just the third time in NCAA Tournament history, a 15-seed is in the Sweet Sixteen. The best win the Peacocks had all season was probably one of their three wins over Monmouth. Their 85-79 overtime win over 2-seed Kentucky and steady 70-60 win over 7-seed Murray State were clearly two standout performances in this Tournament. Doug Edert and his mustache has become a star of this Cinderella, while KC Ndefo (17 points, 10 rebounds against Murray State) has been really impressive this past week.

Clearly, Saint Peter’s is the feel-good story of this year’s tournament, but they are certainly facing a major challenge as the tournament continues. Their victory over Kentucky was wildly unexpected, and their effort against Murray State was impressive, but it’ll be hard to continue that against a strong, talented Purdue squad. The Peacocks’ defense will need to come up huge, as the offense isn’t even in the top 200 in efficiency. This Cinderella surprised us twice before; can they do the unthinkable for a third (or fourth) time?

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