On Thursday evening, the first full day of March Madness, the Kentucky Wildcats and coach John Calipari were upset in stunning fashion by the Peacocks of Saint Peter’s, a No. 15 seed out of the MAAC.
It was an upset for the ages, perhaps the greatest upset in NCAA Tournament history, but for Peacocks head coach Shaheen Holloway it was a somewhat familiar scene.
Holloway has been a part of college basketball for the better part of the last 25 years, playing ball at Seton Hall from 1996-2000 before embarking on a seven-year professional playing career. He returned to coach at Iona as an assistant from 2007-2010, and then went back to Seton Hall for eight years before taking over as the head coach at Saint Peter’s in 2018.
While Thursday’s upset may not ever be topped, Holloway was a part of another remarkable tournament run back in 2000 – and Ernie Kent’s Oregon Ducks were one of his victims.
Holloway averaged 13.2 points, 5.6 assists, and 5.1 rebounds for the Pirates during the 1999-2000 season, a year where they went 22-10 and earned a No. 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
They faced off in the first round against No. 7 seed Oregon, a team that went 22-8 under coach Kent behind stellar play from senior guard Alex Scales and sophomore and future NBA Dunk champion Fred Jones.
Holloway was a monster in this game, dropping 27 points on 11-17 shooting as the Pirates managed to prevail in overtime, 72-71 to advance to the Round of 32 and end Oregon’s promising season far too early.
While a No. 10 upsetting a No. 7 is hardly on the same level as a No. 15 seed over a No. 2 seed, the Pirates did follow that up with a win over No. 2 seed Temple in overtime, 67-65, to advance to the Sweet 16 for the fourth time in school history – and to date the last time they have done so.
Oregon missed the tournament the following year before the remarkable 2001-2002 season, where they earned a two seed and advanced to the Elite 8 before falling to Kansas by a score of 104-86.
Oregon certainly hopes never to feel the pain of a first round surprise exit ever again, but the goal for Dana Altman and company at this point is just to get back to the big dance after a late season collapse cost them a spot in the madness this year.
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