NCAA Tournament: Holy Cross Topples Southern, Will Play No. 1 Seed Oregon

Go crazy, Worcester, Mass. The Holy Cross Crusaders are moving on.

Holy Cross stunned the college basketball world last week when it upset Lehigh to win the Patriot League championship despite finishing with a 14-19 record. That win got the tiny Massachusetts college into the NCAA Tournament, but it still needed one more victory to secure a spot in the field of 64.

The Crusaders got just that Wednesday night, defeating Southern University 59-55 in a First Four play-in game. It was the program’s first tournament victory since 1953.

Junior guard Robert Champion led the way with 19 points and four rebounds in the win, while junior guard Anthony Thompson chipped in with 12 points and junior forward Malachai Alexander added seven points, nine assists and eight boards.

Holy Cross, a No. 16 seed, now will play No. 1 seed Oregon on Friday in Spokane, Wash. Tip-off for that game, which can be seen on truTV, is set for 7:27 p.m. ET.

Thumbnail photo via Rick Osentoski/USA TODAY Sports Images