VCU whooped it up on the floor of Bon Secours Wellness Arena after completing a come-from-behind upset of North Carolina in overtime, 82-78, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Thursday.

But while the players were celebrating their hard-earned victory, another guy from the crowd was absolutely ecstatic: Phil Martelli Sr.

Of course, he was overly thrilled for the latest feat of his son, Rams coach Phil Martelli Jr., who led the program past the opening round for the first time since 2016.

NBC Sports Philadelphia's John Clark posted a screengrab of the elder Martelli with a wide grin and his arms up in the air after No. 11 VCU's stunning win over No. 6 North Carolina.

“Former St. Joe’s head coach Phil Martelli is fired up after his son, Phil Martelli Jr., and VCU upset North Carolina in the NCAA tournament. They came back from being down 19 points,” wrote Clark.

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The 71-year-old Martelli was last seen calling the shots in 2024 as an assistant coach at Michigan.

He had a legendary career at St. Joseph's. He led the Hawks to seven appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including a memorable run to the Elite Eight in 2004, with a crew led by Jameer Nelson, Delonte West, and Pat Carroll.

He must be mighty proud to see his son following in his footsteps.

The younger Martelli is in his first year with the Rams after spending two years at Bryant.

VCU will face the winner of the matchup between Illinois and Pennsylvania in the second round.