Coming into the 2023 NCAA Tournament, only one No. 16 seeded team had ever upset a No. 1 seed. That was in 2018 when UMBC knocked off Virginia in the first round of March Madness. On Friday, that list got one team longer as the No. 16 FDU Knights defeated the No. 1 seeded Purdue Boilermakers, 63-58. After the game, FDU head coach Tobin Anderson couldn't help but get emotional when speaking about his late father, who was also a coach.

ā€œDon't make me cry,ā€ Anderson said. ā€œI wish he was here, I wish he could see what's going on here. Most of your life, Division 2, Division 3 you're in front of 100 people, family and friends. We're in front of 20,000 people here, in front of the whole world, just beat Purdue. All my stuff comes from him, my dad was a better coach than I was. But I have a better team than he had so it makes it a lot easier. I wish he was here, wish my mom was here, but we got a great family and friends and I'm so proud of this team. What a wonderful thing this is, it's incredible.ā€

RECOMMENDED (Article Continues Below)
NBA Draft, Zach Edey, KJ Simpson, and N'Faly Dante

Liam Hanley Ā·

Purdue basketball star Zach Edey next to former player Rasheed Wallace in front of the Mackey Complex.

Zachary Weinberger Ā·

greatest college basketball teams

Nathanial Duffett Ā·

Tobin Anderson and FDU finished the season 19-15 and lost in the championship game of the Northeast Conference Tournament. They were not supposed to be in March Madness but Merrimack is still in transition from Division 1 to Division 2 and therefore is still ineligible for postseason competition. So FDU took their tournament place and had to advance in the First Four game matchup against Texas Southern to face Purdue. This is Anderson's first season as FDU head coach.