Long before No. 16 UMBC won the battle against No. 1 Virginia on Friday, the person running the program’s Twitter won the war.
Before, during and after the Retriever’s historic win in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament, a bold individual known as Zach Seidel trolled the masses on Twitter. CBS Sports’ Seth Davis was a popular target, but truthfully, everyone was put on notice.
Here’s a large, though incomplete sample:
Apparently @UMBCAthletics calls themselves #RetrieverNation. And they have 5588 followers.
— Gary (@GaryRTR) March 17, 2018
The dictionary defines: a large aggregate of people united by common descent, history, culture, or language, inhabiting a particular country or territory……5K is a large amount, dude https://t.co/f0lmPFw64i
— UMBC Athletics (@UMBCAthletics) March 17, 2018
We're up 11….just havin fun
— UMBC Athletics (@UMBCAthletics) March 17, 2018
We're just a 16 seed, happy to be here, also we're up 35-24 on No.1 Virginia with Jairus going to the line to shoot 3 ft with 15:52 left
— UMBC Athletics (@UMBCAthletics) March 17, 2018
Omg #Virginia what are you doing? UMBC has em completely rattled
— Doug Gottlieb (@GottliebShow) March 17, 2018
We're pretty decent too https://t.co/rGwnySe1WM
— UMBC Athletics (@UMBCAthletics) March 17, 2018
Oh my goodness
— Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) March 17, 2018
Hi Seth, remember when you declared the game over at tip? We are up 14 with 14 minutes left https://t.co/duUviOMvZO
— UMBC Athletics (@UMBCAthletics) March 17, 2018
UMBC is beating virginia by14. UMBC looks fantastic! btw, anyone know what UMBC is?
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) March 17, 2018
University of Maryland Baltimore County, who are you? https://t.co/XGp9MacmGb
— UMBC Athletics (@UMBCAthletics) March 17, 2018
Virginia going on a run here like every said, we call time out to regroup and see if we can cut into their insurmountable 12 point lead that we have
— UMBC Athletics (@UMBCAthletics) March 17, 2018
#Preds and #Avs on one TV. Virginia and whoever UMBC is on the other. Solid sporting night.
— Robby Stanley (@RStanleyNHL) March 17, 2018
Yea, that hockey game must be a bummer, huh https://t.co/qy0pcEbxBn
— UMBC Athletics (@UMBCAthletics) March 17, 2018
We are up 19 with 1:40 left. Seth Davis called game at tip
— UMBC Athletics (@UMBCAthletics) March 17, 2018
PUT SOME RESPECK ON IT! WE HAVE DEFEATED NO.1 OVERALL SEED VIRGINIA 74-54
— UMBC Athletics (@UMBCAthletics) March 17, 2018
History was made tonight as #16 @UMBCAthletics defeats #1 Virginia @GaryParrishCBS and @SwinCash discuss the historic victory on March Madness 360 pic.twitter.com/LkxjcbgqBZ
— CBS Sports Network (@CBSSportsNet) March 17, 2018
Tell @SethDavisHoops, who sharpied in Virginia at tip, that we said “sup” https://t.co/50MmnsJJqX
— UMBC Athletics (@UMBCAthletics) March 17, 2018
We also beat UVA on twitter too btw
— UMBC Athletics (@UMBCAthletics) March 17, 2018
"This is the most stunning collapse of a No. 1 team i have ever seen. Virginia… was horrible." – @JayBilas pic.twitter.com/drmGrPI47r
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) March 17, 2018
We beat them by 20 @JayBilas that’s a blowout, not a collapse https://t.co/O7lbbHaVVU
— UMBC Athletics (@UMBCAthletics) March 17, 2018
Cool, we’ll show you the box score from our game tonight if you show us yours? https://t.co/XvI8zLVgnJ
— UMBC Athletics (@UMBCAthletics) March 17, 2018
https://twitter.com/joncupo/status/974910743580561409
Dude, we were excited, sorry our grammar during an unprecedented moment was slightly off with a typo https://t.co/hWPT83V8xc
— UMBC Athletics (@UMBCAthletics) March 17, 2018
Just relentless.
UMBC also had one final message for Seth Davis.
If you want to relive the excitement scroll back through this timeline. Good times! https://t.co/abx45x3CrR
— Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) March 17, 2018
Seth is a good dude, and a GREAT writer…it was all fun and games tonight people https://t.co/pevWwTDKpy
— UMBC Athletics (@UMBCAthletics) March 17, 2018
Honestly, that was nearly as entertaining as the game itself.
The University of Maryland-Baltimore County will face No. 9 Kansas State on Sunday for the right to advance to the Sweet 16.
