Madness in Jersey City as Saint Peter’s returns home in preparation for NCAA tournament Sweet 16

JERSEY Town, N.J. — The Cinderella story for a neighborhood New Jersey faculty continues.

Saint Peter’s University, significant underdogs in the NCAA match, pulled off an additional huge get Saturday night time as it defeat No. 7-seeded Murray State to advance to the Sweet 16.

CBS2s Kiran Dhillon was on the Jersey Town campus on Sunday as the Peacocks returned house to a hero’s welcome.

“We are in this article to keep!” 1 participant stated after Saturday night’s 70-60 earn above Murray State, Saint Peter’s observe-up to Thursday’s stunning upset of No. 2 Kentucky.

The Peacocks, seeded No. 15 in the East Region, and their supporters had been even now driving the superior on Sunday.

Thursday’s acquire was Saint Peter’s very first victory in March Madness, and the largest get in university background. Star player KC Ndefo mentioned returning home just after so a great deal achievement on the street has been surreal.

“This is a little something we desire about as young children. To just arrive in listed here and have all these awesome fans and individuals supporting us every single day is an astounding feeling,” Ndefo stated.

His teammate, Doug Edert, agreed.

“It truly is great. It’s truly astounding. The admirers are fantastic. We appreciate their assist,” Edert mentioned.

Edert extra that even though actively playing on the countrywide phase as the underdog has been hard, the players are concentrated on keeping powerful and self-confident on the court docket.

“It starts off with our mentor. He believes in us so much. He thought in us the total time that we had been heading to earn each individual activity. And that influences us players. We start to believe in ourselves and then go out there confident,” he claimed of head mentor Shaheen Holloway.

Holloway said he’s recognized all alongside the staff was heading to triumph.

“Basketball is straightforward. It is no pressure. The strain for these men is seeking to get A’s in the classroom. We want them to have enjoyment and acquire it in and go out and do what they have carried out their total life — just participate in basketball,” Holloway mentioned.

Future up for Saint Peter’s is the Sweet 16. The Peacocks will participate in on Friday in Philadelphia against No. 3 Purdue, which defeat No. 6 Texas 81-71 on Sunday night time, and the players say they are up for the problem, but added for now they are just experiencing the experience.

Supporters say they are, way too.

“It feels like as soon as in a life time. We would have in no way considered a week or two ago. They exceeded our expectations,” alum Chris Martalus stated.

“We gained the very first spherical, the second spherical. Come on, third round, let’s go! We got this. We bought this,” university student Breanna Ntuli included.

The admirers say said there is no question in their minds that the Peacocks are going all the way.