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ONE SHINING MOMENT — Not even halfway through the first day of March Madness and we already have a moment for the ages. Furman's JP Pegues drilled a game-winning 3-pointer to send fourth-seeded Virginia packing early.
ARE YOU SERIOUS?! 😨
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 16, 2023
FURMAN WITH THE STEAL AND 3 TO TAKE THE LEAD WITH 2.2 SECONDS REMAINING #MarchMadnesspic.twitter.com/fSCNKUzboq
Virginia led for the entire first half and extended a 5-point halftime lead to 12 early in the second half, but 13th-seeded Furman was undeterred. The Paladins fought back to tie the game at 54-54 with 5:42 left in the game and even took a 63-60 lead with 2:33 remaining.
The experienced Cavaliers squad pulled together, however, and had what seemed like a safe 67-63 lead in the final seconds ... until it wasn't.
Furman's Garrett Hien was fouled and made both free throws to bring the Paladins within 3 points, and then got a steal on a wild pass from Kihei Clark with seven seconds left to set up Pegues' shining moment.
The sophomore rose up from well beyond the 3-point arc and completed the comeback for the Paladins, securing the program's first NCAA Tournament win since 1974 in dramatic fashion.
ABSOLUTE SCENES. THIS IS MARCH. pic.twitter.com/07OYtA3p5S
— Caleb Turner (@calebturner23) March 16, 2023
"Furman lives!" commentator Kevin Harlan said on the broadcast. "Did we just see what we think we just saw?"
Yes, Kevin, you did. And it's still only Day 1. This is March.
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Caleb Turner
