CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The slipper had been gathering dust since the NCAA tournament field expanded to 64 teams in 1985, with No. 16 seeds a pristine 0-131 all time, until Friday, when UMBC became college basketball's ultimate Cinderella.
The Retrievers, champions of the America East, pulled off the impossible, the most stunning upset in tournament history, the first 16 seed to upend a No. 1, sending Virginia into ignominy 74-54.
But it wasn't just that UMBC won. They dominated.
They jumped out to an early lead.
They stifled Virginia's offense at every turn.
They had answers to every Cavaliers run.