Each year, sports fans young and old develop aspirations for their favorite teams prior to the start of the season. Some are outlandish, while others are more realistic, but regardless of the projections and analytics, all fans retain some hope that this can be their year. The year in which their team wins that much-anticipated championship. Many fans have never seen their team achieve this goal, so if you have witnessed your team win a championship, consider yourself lucky no matter how long ago it was. In fact, fans of 40 franchises across the four major sports (NBA, NHL, NFL, and MLB) have never won a title, leaving a rather bitter taste in their mouths. Why should these fans continue to watch their teams year after year? The answer: the St. Peter’s Peacocks. 

The #15 seeded Peacocks have made an unimaginable run beating both Kentucky and Purdue to reach the elite eight. This marks the first time that a #15 seed has reached the elite eight in NCAA tournament history. Head coach Shaheen Halloway has made the most of his roster, primarily composed of one and two-star players from the New York Metro area. “We’ve got guys from New Jersey and New York City,” said Halloway. “You think we’re scared of anything?”

A team composed of one and two-star players is beating teams with potential draft lottery picks which include Jayden Ivey of Purdue and TyTy Washington Jr. of Kentucky. The suffocating defense of the Peacocks has been the driving force of their Cinderella run. In their three tournament victories, St. Peter’s opponents shot less than 30% from deep and averaged less than 70 points per game. Halloway is well aware that the Peacocks’ defensive intensity is the only way they will continue to advance. “Playing defense wins championships. These guys bought in and the rest is history,” said Halloway.  

Just two weeks ago, many people didn’t know these players existed. Some didn’t even know that St. Peter’s University existed. A small Jesuit school with 2,600 undergraduate students in Jersey City has instantly become front-page news. Halloway’s Peacocks are now firmly on the map and no longer a team that should be taken lightly. 

Notable differences in finances and ridiculous odds demonstrate how crazy St. Peter’s run has been. The Peacocks’ athletics program spent $130 million less than their first-round opponent, Kentucky, who they defeated 85-79 in overtime. Furthermore, the Peacocks had 1,000-1 odds to cut down the nets and 500-1 odds to simply make it to the round of 32. 

The Peacock’s unbelievable run to the elite eight is why we watch our teams compete each year. We share that same hope that our team can do the unthinkable. As sports fans, we need instances like these to help us deal with the hardships we witness year after year. Instances like the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” and the Giants stunning victory over the undefeated Patriots in 2007. The Peacocks have rejuvenated frustrated sports fans across the nation and provided them with hope, because if the #15 seeded Peacocks could do it, so could your team.