Natalia Chi
Madness has arrived. Hello Furman, goodbye Virginia.
Less than three hours into the 2023 Men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament, March Madness’ first major upset occurred.
The 13th-seeded Furman Paladins (28-7) advance to the second round of the tournament in the Southern region, while the 4th-seeded Virginia Cavaliers (25-8) head home much earlier than expected. The result came in dramatic fashion, winning the game with Furman’s three-point shot from his JP Pegues with 2.2 seconds remaining.
Furman came from behind to close a five-point halftime deficit with a 68-67 win over Virginia in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday.
Senior forward Jalen Slawson led the Paladins with 19 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists in March Madness’ first notable individual performance of the year.
Kadin Shedrick led UVA with 15 points and 13 rebounds in the losing effort.
Mike Erman/Getty Images
As the world of college basketball continues to watch the big dance unfold, let’s take a closer look at the first Cinderella of the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
Where is Furman located?
Furman is in Greenville, South Carolina Ironically, Virginia was in Greenville last weekend playing in the ACC tournament.
Virginia finished runner-up in that tournament and finished second overall in ACC play during the regular season.
What conferences does Furman attend?
Furman played in the Southern Conference, winning the conference’s automatic bid to the 2023 NCAA Tournament with an 88-79 victory over Chattanooga on March 8.
March Madness is rapidly approaching. Take a look at the biggest upset in NCAA men’s basketball tournament history.
When was Furman last in the NCAA Tournament?
Furman’s last March Madness appearance was in 1980, and Thursday’s upset was the first in 43 years.
What is a paladin?
Certainly the first question that comes to everyone’s mind when they see Furman’s school mascot.
A paladin is a knight. According to the American Heritage College Dictionary, this knight’s origins date back to the 8th century and are described as “strong supporters or defenders of the cause”.
Why is Furman called a paladin?
College newspaper fans rejoice. paladin, Furman’s student newspaper,Hooray Extensive Paladin Research.
It’s no surprise that Paladins become the ultimate resource for all Paladins and Furmans.
According to The Paladin, Furman was a school with many identities before settling on its current nickname in 1961. His baseball team was the Hornets, his football team was the Hurricanes, and his basketball team was the Paladins. Who do you think won this feud?
While the football team retained other nicknames (Purple Fighters and Purple Hurricanes are two names in the school’s library), students in the early ’60s eventually put it to the vote and decided that the school’s athletic program had ever been. I came up with a universal name that I’ve been using. Ever since.
When will Furman next play in the NCAA Tournament?
The Paladins will face the winners of No. 12 College of Charleston and No. 5 San Diego State University on Saturday.
It’s almost March Madness time. Here is the list of game cities and dates for the 2023 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament:
