Top 5 moments from Day One of 2023 NCAA Tournament

13-seed Furman stuns 4-seed Virginia

In their first NCAA Tournament game since 1980, the Furman Paladins made sure it was an all-time classic. After Marcus Foster missed a three with 24 seconds left while trailing by three, things looked bleak. After Kihei Clark made one of two free throws to go up four with 19 seconds left, things looked bleaker. But that’s when March happened.

Kadin Shedrick fouled Garrett Hein with 12 seconds left and Hein knocked both down. Furman proceeded to press full court. Clark, who is the winningest player in ACC history, then followed the free throws up with the worst mistake of his career. He closed his eyes and threw up a prayer that Hein eventually picked off. JP Pegues got the ball and nailed a three-pointer with 2.2 seconds left to go up one. Reece Beekman’s missed three at the buzzer sealed the deal and Furman pulled off the first upset of the tournament.

It was a hectic, unpredictable and classic finish that possessed a “back from the dead” kind of magic that these games produce and the element of the underdog pulling that off makes it all that more memorable.

Virginia led by as many as 12 (50-38) with 11:54 left in the game and by the 5:02 mark, finally relinquished the lead for the first time all game. The Paladins pulled off not only an upset but an impressive comeback win in dramatic fashion. They did it in classic Furman fashion: three-point proficiency. Furman lost the offensive rebounding battle. They lost the turnover battle. They shot fewer free throws. But going 10-28 (including Pegues’ game-winner) from beyond the arc was the ultimate factor in them pulling off the upset.