DELAND, Fla. – The campus is buzzing at Stetson University after their men’s basketball team secured their first NCAA Tournament berth.
The Hatters defeated Austin Peay 94-91 Sunday to win the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament, which means Stetson locked up a ticket to “The Big Dance” for the first time in school history.
“I think it’s huge. I think any time you can put them on a spotlight like this. We know the power of March Madness,” Head Coach Donnie Jones said.
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Michel Petrovic is a freshman at Stetson and was at the Edmonds Center Sunday when students stormed the court after the win.
“It’s usually loud, but I’ve never seen that place like that. It was insane,” Petrovic said. “Everyone stormed. It was kind of like the big coming together moment.”
While Stetson has secured a spot in the NCAA tournament, the school won’t find out its first-round matchup until Sunday during the NCAA Selection Show.
“I feel like big teams are going to be scared, because who wants to face the team with all the heart,” Petrovic said. “We’re ready to take on anyone.”
While there’s no shortage of confidence from the fans, Coach Jones said he’s looking forward to a chance for his players to prove themselves on a national stage.
“You can’t be a Cinderella unless you get invited to the ball,” Jones said. “We’re looking forward to the opportunity.”
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