NCAA stunner: No. 16 seed UMBC makes history by knocking out No. 1 Virginia

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina — Virginia was on the wrong end of the most improbable upset in men’s college basketball history Friday night, falling to Maryland Baltimore County, 74-54, to become the first No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 16 in the NCAA tournament.

The stunning result unfolded at Spectrum Center in the round of 64 with the Cavaliers, the top overall seed in the NCAA tournament, offering little resistance in the second half against a mid-major program making just its second NCAA tournament appearance.

By the time Arkel Lamar made a three-pointer with 3:35 remaining, UMBC led, 61-44, and had the crowd cheering wildly in anticipation of the Retrievers completing a remarkable feat.

UMBC (25-10) followed through, making 12 of 24 three-pointers and handling the Cavaliers’ vaunted pack line defense with 50 percent shooting overall. Virginia, meanwhile, went 4 for 22 from three-point range and had just four assists, a shockingly low number for a club that prides itself on sharing the basketball.

No. 16 seeds are now 1-135 in the history of the NCAA tournament.

Graduate guard Jairus Lyles, a former DeMatha standout, led the Retrievers with a game-high 28 points, 23 of those coming in the second half in which UMBC never trailed. Junior guard Joe Sherburne added 12 points and six rebounds for the school with an enrollment roughly half the size of Virginia and with an athletic budget that’s a fraction of its ACC opponent.

Thus abruptly ends a season for Virginia (31-3) that included ACC regular season and tournament titles and realistic expectations of the school’s first NCAA championship.

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