SAN DIEGO — LIU is aware of the narrative.
The Sharks perceive the extremely lengthy odds.
They’ve seen the large 30.5-point unfold that favors their opponent, No. 1 seed and Large 12 champion Arizona.
Rod Strickland’s workforce doesn’t care.
The NEC regular-season and postseason champions are right here within the NCAA Event, for the primary time in eight years, for a motive.
“You’ve received to go in with the mindset that you just’re going to win,” stated Shadrak Lasu, LIU’s beginning ahead. “I feel all of our guys have ready all the way in which as much as this second for this recreation, and I feel all of us received the mindset that we’re going to come back in and win.”
There’s a connection to one of many two No. 16’s that knocked off a prime seed.
Guard Greg Gordon performed for Tobin Anderson at Iona — the identical coach who led Fairleigh Dickinson to a stunning upset of Purdue within the 2023 match.
“He spoke perception into his workforce earlier than they went out and did the unthinkable,” Gordon recalled. “That’s a giant function of it. He at all times talked about it and the way they by no means backed down. They got here in with simply delight.”
There was lots of delight popping out of LIU (24-10) on Thursday.
It is a program that received three video games 4 years in the past, in Strickland’s first season because the Sharks’ coach.
Annually, they’ve improved, and this winter LIU received its most video games (24) because the 2011-12 marketing campaign.
Throughout this run, LIU and its fan part, “The Reef,” turned an web sensation as a result of fashionable “Fins Up” rallying cry.
It’s a hand gesture during which followers elevate their arms above their heads to kind a dorsal fin.
It caught on — the LIU bench now takes half in “Fins Up” throughout video games — and even Nebraska followers started doing it.
“I really feel like the primary ‘Fins Up’ goes to ship shivers down all people’s backbone,” Gordon stated. “I really feel like even Arizona would do it. It’s such an awesome motion. Everybody loves it.”
LIU defends, main the NEC in convention play in defending the three (30.1 p.c) and blocked photographs share (14.6), and are a top-50 workforce in offensive rebounding share.
The massive three of Gordon, Malachi Smith and Jamal Fuller cleared the path, averaging a mixed 44.9 factors per recreation.
Arizona (32-2) is without doubt one of the favorites to chop down the nets on the Closing 4 in Indianapolis subsequent month.
LIU appears like it’s ready for this degree of opponent.
It confronted match groups Illinois and Georgia throughout the common season.
“You must be assured. I imply, there’s no method you may stroll in any recreation feeling such as you’re defeated,” stated Strickland, the previous Knicks level guard from The Bronx. “Our purpose from the start was to win the common season, win the convention, after which get to the dance, after which make some noise. That’s what it’s all about.
“And they’re assured. However I’m certain they know what they’re up in opposition to, and that’s an excellent factor.”
The percentages are clearly not in LIU’s favor.
Because the NCAA Event expanded to 64 groups in 1985, solely two No. 16 seeds have defeated a No. 1 in 161 tries.
However Siena almost upset Duke on Thursday afternoon, main by as many as 13 within the second half earlier than working out of gasoline in a 71-65 loss.
It has occurred earlier than, and considered one of them was fellow NEC faculty FDU.
The Knights have been 23.5-point underdogs in 2024, and Anderson guided them to the stunning victory.
“I hope that he left slightly little bit of magic,” Gordon stated, “so I can use it.”
Three keys to an LIU upset
Begin quick
It is a key to any main upset. Put some doubt into the heads of the favourite. The longer the sport is shut, the extra perception LIU can have, and the tighter Arizona might get. Below coach Tommy Lloyd, the Wildcats have underachieved within the match. In 2023, Arizona misplaced as a No. 2 seed to No. 15 Princeton.
Make 3s
LIU doesn’t take a ton of 3-pointers (15.6 makes an attempt per recreation), however they shoot 36.1 p.c from distance. The Sharks must make 10 from past the arc. It’ll be extremely powerful to attain inside in opposition to Arizona’s mammoth entrance line anchored by 7-foot-2 Lithuanian heart Motiejus Krivas.
Pray
Arizona is a nationwide title favourite. The Wildcats have two losses all yr, arguably the most effective level guard within the nation in Jaden Bradley and are ranked within the prime 5 in each offensive (fifth) and defensive (third) effectivity.
