Saint Peter's basketball receives heroes' welcome after reaching Sweet 16

JERSEY CITY — The Cinderella of college basketball arrived home a little after 1 p.m. on Sunday.

This time, a line of TV cameras were ready when the Saint Peter's bus pulled up on Kennedy Boulevard.

The Jersey City team that captured the nation's attention completed a magical week inside Run Baby Run Arena, savoring a welcome-home party with a few hundred fans. The Peacocks shook up March Madness this year by upsetting Murray State and national powerhouse Kentucky on the way to becoming the third 15-seed ever to reach the Sweet Sixteen.

They spent the first hour back on campus signing autographs and taking pictures with their most devoted fans.

"We just want to thank you guys for supporting us the whole year," coach Shaheen Holloway said. "It's been a great year. But guess what? It's not over. I expect to see the same energy on Friday night in Philly."

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Saint Peter’s will face the winner of Sunday's game between No. 3 Purdue and No. 6 Texas (8:30 p.m., TNT) with a chance to tear up even more brackets. Before this year, the Peacocks were winless in three trips to the NCAA Tournament.

Now they'll head down the turnpike with a chance to make even more history. A win in Philadelphia would make Saint Peter's the first No. 15 seed to reach the Elite Eight.

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"Look at my whole career. Look at me. I like challenges," Holloway said. "I like betting on myself. I like being the underdog and having guys that fit my personality. I think that's why these guys play with a chip on their shoulder, because I have a chip on my shoulder."

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Senior forward KC Ndefo said he's been flooded with messages since his phone started buzzing a few days ago. Viral videos of exuberant fans back in Jersey City caught his attention.

"The last 72 hours have been something that you can only dream about," Ndefo said. "For it to really be happening is amazing."

The Peacocks' time in the spotlight is already paying off for the university. Fans at the watch party spent about $4,000 on apparel, an especially high number, according to one staffer. Now the question is whether the recent attention will have a lasting impact in the years to come.

"I hope so," Holloway said. "I hope that alumni out there see what's going on and understand that the power of athletics can help build a school. It can help bring everybody together."

One of the heroes of Saint Peter's run has been Bergen Catholic graduate Doug Edert. The Nutley native scored 13 points on Saturday, including some huge shots down the stretch. He finished with 20 points against Kentucky, as well as in the MAAC championship against Monmouth.

Along the way, Edert has become the face — or, perhaps, the facial hair — of March Madness with a mustache that's hard to miss on social media.

"It's unreal," Edert said. "It's amazing. I love all the support. All the memes out there, I find them hilarious. It's all great stuff."

Edert explained that his trademark look started out of necessity due to strict quarantine rules. Peacock guards Matthew Lee and Daryl Banks III came to the rescue one day when their college roommate was in desperate need of a haircut. The only problem was that they put down the clippers after trimming Edert's hair and sideburns.

"We thought it was funny so we left it for a day," Edert said. "Then it turns out that I got hot right after that. My team started winning, and so I kept it for a superstition."

The Peacocks are the first New Jersey team to reach the Sweet Sixteen since Seton Hall in 2000 — when Holloway was in the Pirates' backcourt. Holloway called it a huge accomplishment, but pointed out that his team deserves the credit, since his playing days are done.

What isn't finished is the Peacocks' story.

"It's a whirlwind. It's been like a roller-coaster," Holloway said. "It started last week when we won the MAAC tournament and it didn't stop. We kept going. I just want to enjoy this ride. I don't want it to stop. It's a dream, and I don't want to get woken up yet."

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Saint Peter's basketball gets heroes' welcome after reaching Sweet 16