Fairleigh Dickinson guard Grant Singleton, middle, celebrates after a basket in opposition to Purdue within the second half of a first-round faculty basketball recreation within the males’s NCAA Tournament in Columbus, Ohio, on Friday. FDU would go on to take the win, upsetting top-seeded Purdue University.

Michael Conroy/AP

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Michael Conroy/AP

Fairleigh Dickinson guard Grant Singleton, middle, celebrates after a basket in opposition to Purdue within the second half of a first-round faculty basketball recreation within the males’s NCAA Tournament in Columbus, Ohio, on Friday. FDU would go on to take the win, upsetting top-seeded Purdue University.

Michael Conroy/AP

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Fairleigh Dickinson turned the second No. 16 seed in historical past to win an NCAA Tournament recreation, beautiful top-seeded Purdue 63-58 behind 19 factors from Sean Moore and a relentless, hustling protection on Friday night time.

The shortest staff within the tourney, the Knights (21-15) confirmed no concern in swarming 7-foot-4 All-America middle Zach Edey from the beginning. FDU’s gamers have been faster and extra composed than the Big Ten champion Boilermakers (29-6).

Five years in the past, UMBC confirmed the way in which for the little guys by overwhelming Virginia within the first 16-over-1 victory after quite a few shut calls through the years. Still, No. 16s had a 1-150 document in opposition to No. 1s and have been 1-151 total earlier than FDU’s shocker.

After the ultimate horn, FDU’s gamers mobbed one another on the ground of Nationwide Arena, the place the followers from Memphis and Florida Atlantic joined forces in cheering on the Knights within the closing minutes.

Fairleigh Dickinson did not even win the Northeast Conference Tournament, falling by one level within the title recreation to Merrimack, which could not take part within the NCAA Tournament due to an NCAA rule that bars it from the postseason as a result of it is nonetheless finishing its four-year transition from Division II.

FDU held Purdue scoreless for greater than 5 1/2 minutes down the stretch and moved forward by 5 on a 3-pointer by Moore — who’s from suburban Columbus — with 1:03 left. The Knights held on from there, turning into the second straight double-digit seed to ship the Boilermakers house. Purdue was a 3 seed when it misplaced to fifteen seed Saint Peter’s, one other small New Jersey faculty, within the Sweet 16 final yr.

Edey completed with 21 level and 15 rebounds in what might have been his closing faculty recreation, however the Knights constantly denied him the ball down the stretch. He did not try a shot within the closing 9 minutes. The junior middle is a attainable NBA lottery choose, however the bitterness of this defeat might sway him to stay round for one more yr.

The Knights’ two prior NCAA Tournament wins got here within the First Four, together with this yr, after they drubbed Texas Southern 84-61. After that recreation, Knights coach Tobin Anderson advised his gamers he believed they might deal with Edey and Co.

“The more I see Purdue, the more I think we can beat them,” Anderson advised his gamers within the locker room.

Some of Purdue’s gamers mentioned they felt disrespected by the feedback, which turned out to be prophetic.

The Knights will now meet the Memphis-Florida Atlantic winner on Sunday for a Sweet 16 berth and journey to play at Madison Square Garden in New York subsequent week — only a quick drive from the non-public faculty’s campus in Teaneck, New Jersey.