The Ohio Bobcats took down the defending national champions Virginia Cavaliers in a 62-58 upset to kick off their NCAA Tournament.

Bobcats star Jason Preston paid a touching tribute to his late mother after the game, saying: “When I see 3-2-1, that was all I was thinking about. I hope she's proud.”

Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young only needed one word to describe the heartwarming message from the Ohio guard.

Preston's mother passed away due to lung cancer when he was 15. Unranked coming out of high school, he certainly looked like a motivated star for Ohio on the first day of March Madness.

The 6-foot-4 guard led the way for Ohio, turning in a near-triple performance on Saturday. Nicknamed “Big Red” for his red curls, Preston scored 13 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and dished out eight assists in their upset win.

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Ohio, the no. 13 seed in the West, was understandably hyped after they slayed the no. 4 Virginia. They had every reason to turn up their celebration in the locker room following the massive victory.

Preston has definitely turned heads by leading Ohio to the NCAA Tournament. His story is definitely worth telling, considering he lost his mother at age 15. His father, likewise, wasn't around. Thus, Preston didn't have his parents with him at a young age, which could be difficult for any kid growing up.

Nonetheless, Preston has definitely become an inspirational story in the NCAA so far. A zero-star recruit, he is now becoming an intriguing NBA prospect. Maybe we'll see him go up against the likes of Trae Young should he eventually make the NBA.