:format(jpeg):focal(2860x320:2870x310)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gfrmedia/4S4QNA54MNGZPI7TALEIR45Y5A.jpg?w=1240&resize=1240,&ssl=1)
Philadelphia — This is a true story: peacocks can fly. But not all the way to the Final Four.
St. Peter’s University’s joyful trip, the one that broke groups and gave the impression that it could go all the way through the NCAA tournament, ended this Sunday with a loss in the Eastern Region final by a score of 69- 49 against North Carolina.
fans of the PeacocksBig in numbers and loud, they rallied behind America’s new favorite team, even as the score got out of control.
“You beat Kentucky! You have beaten Purdue! You can also beat these guys.”a man yelled.
But they couldn’t against the University of North Carolina Tar Heels.
The Peacocks, so proud and poised when they became in the first 15th seeded team to advance to the ‘Elite Eight’, were baffled from the opening. The Tar Heels opened on a 7-0 run, and Peacocks coach Shaheen Holloway called time. Daryl Banks III, who hit the game-winning basket two nights earlier against Purdue, couldn’t finish an easy alley-oop. Doug Edert missed a long 3-pointer in front of the Carolina bench.
Who were these guys?
St. Peter’s missed 16 of their first 20 shots and 6 of 7 3-pointers and never led.
The Peacocks, who snapped an NCAA-best 10-game winning streak, were beaten by the Carolina D, and even to the rim. Banks was rammed to the front of the rim on a monster dunk attempt. Tar Heels player Armando Bacot came right in and used a thunderous two-handed jam to show Saint Peter’s how it’s done.
For halftime, Saint Peter’s needed an Ave Maria. North Carolina 38, Saint Peter’s 19.
The final minutes of the game could have been the final minutes of Holloway’s tenure at Saint Peter’s. Holloway is one of the leading candidates to succeed Kevin Willard as coach at Seton Hall, his alma mater. He dodged questions throughout the tournament about his future and kept the focus on the small commuter college in Jersey City, New Jersey. But even Holloway, 45, must surely know that he has reached his full potential at Saint Peter’s.
But what Holloway and the Peacocks accomplished in two weekends could be the lasting memory of this tournament, no matter which blue blood cuts through the net next week in New Orleans.
Saint Peter’s defeated No. 2 seed Kentucky to start a streak that rocketed into endorsement deals, morning show ads and late-night TV jokes.
Just that win Coach Cal goes down! – should have been enough to sustain the program for decades to come. But then came a win over seventh seed Murray State and a date in the Sweet 16.
Then they eliminated the greats of the Big Ten, the Purdue Boilermakers. FanDuel Sportsbook had Purdue as a 12 1/2-point favorite to win Friday’s matchup in Philadelphia. The last thing Purdue saw as he walked off the court were delirious peacocks jumping on the tables in the press row, making snowmen on the court and celebrating an unlikely 67-64 win.
About 93 miles from the New Jersey Turnpike, some 2,000 fans gathered at the Saint Peter’s box known as Run Baby Run Arena for a watch party. It was a scene impossible to imagine when just over 400 fans turned out for the season opener.
The fan club grew as the wins piled up, all fun until a team from Tobacco Road snapped the streak. Holloway cleared the bench with 1:21 left and brought the Peacocks together for a final meeting. Arms folded, Holloway made a brief speech to Edert, Banks and the rest, perhaps the last he would make at St. Peter’s.
