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The 2023 NCAA men's basketball tournament has its first big upset.
No. 13 Furman went on an improbable run late to upset No. 4 Virginia, 68-67, on Thursday.
Virginia led 50-38 with just under 11 minutes to go, its largest lead of the game. But the Paladins went on a 19-4 run to take a 3-point lead — their first of the game — with 5:02 to go, and it was a battle from there.
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Furman guard JP Pegues, third from right, celebrates with his team after defeating Virginia in a first-round game in the NCAA men's basketball tournament on Thursday in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Furman’s lead never got past three as both teams continued to exchange buckets for the next several minutes. Virginia actually led by two with 12.3 seconds to go.
But an errant Cavaliers pass was intercepted by Furman’s Garrett Hien, and he dished it to JP Pegues for a wide-open 3-pointer to give the Paladins a 68-67 lead with 2.4 seconds left. Virginia missed a three at the buzzer, resulting in their first-round exit.
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"I knew when we got the stop, my teammates would be looking for shooters. ... Specifically, [teammate Garrett Hein] looks for me all the time," Pegues told CBS after the game. "My teammates believe me. They trust me. I love them back, and I have full confidence.
"I missed all night … but winners make big shots, and I call myself a winner. I want to be in those moments. I was born for those moments."
The Furman Paladins' bench reacts during the second half of the first round game of the NCAA men's basketball tournament at Amway Center in Orlando, Fla., on Thursday. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
It’s not Virginia’s first time being the victim of a major upset. In 2018, the Cavaliers became the first — and still only — No. 1 seed to lose to a 16-seed, when UMBC blew them out, 74-54. The Cavaliers were outscored 53-33 in the second half, but they won the national title the following season.
Furman earned its bid to this year's tournament by winning the Southern Conference.
Furman forward Tyrese Hughey, left, and forward Alex Williams celebrate their win against Virginia during a first-round game in the NCAA men's basketball tournament at Amway Center in Orlando, Fla., on Thursday. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
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The 13-seed Paladins now await the winner of No. 5 San Diego State and No. 12 Charleston for a chance to advance to the Sweet 16.
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