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When the Buffalo Bulls’ three-point barrage ran Arizona out of the gym in Boise, brackets were busted. The Pac-12 champion Arizona Wildcats, led by star freshman big man Deandre Ayton, were a common pick to cut down the nets this year. Precisely, 4.9% of brackets submitted in ESPN’s Tournament Challenge had Arizona slated for its first championship since 1997 — the seventh most common champion pick this season.
But, 13-seeded Buffalo had other plans in its 89-68 thrashing of Arizona. The biggest upset of the tournament’s first day sent Twitter into a frenzy. Here are some of the best reactions:
Remember, buffaloes (and bulls) are cool animals. Pick accordingly:
I picked Arizona for the Final 4.
— Ryan Wood (@ByRyanWood) March 16, 2018
My 3 children each picked Buffalo. Because they thought buffalos were cool.
I hate March.
And who doesn’t love a good bison/buffalo meme:
Buffalo wreckin' brackets pic.twitter.com/z21ICQrJgn
— CJ Fogler (@cjzero) March 16, 2018
The math checks out:
Boy oh boy, Arizona sure lost by
— Matt Sisneros (@Matt_Sisneros) March 16, 2018
Ayton
of points.
The grammar checks out:
“Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo” is a correct sentence.
— David Gardner (@byDavidGardner) March 16, 2018
So is “Buffalo just beat the hell out of Arizona.”
Buffalo made some March Madness history in the program’s first tournament victory:
No. 13 Buffalo stuns Arizona for its first NCAA Tournament victory in school history.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) March 16, 2018
The Bulls 21-point win is tied for the 2nd-largest by a 13 seed over a 4 seed since the Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985.
When in Buffalo, do as #BillsMafia does:
A PROMISE IS A PROMISE @nate_oats pic.twitter.com/na7hkbep3K
— Kyle Hughes (@The518Buffalo) March 16, 2018
WE GOT BUFFALO FANS GOING THROUGH TABLES pic.twitter.com/nqsKLoRd4f
— SB Nation (@SBNation) March 16, 2018
Arizona State, home of former Buffalo coach Bobby Hurley and archrival of Arizona, chose a rather fitting way to celebrate the victory:
The Dean is in a VERY good mood tonight ("vindicated" is the word he used) and hereby declares to the student body that all day Friday we will serve 89 cent Buffalo wings and 68 cent Miller High Life drafts! One day only, so come to College and enjoy! pic.twitter.com/Lx656YuWtZ
— College Bar & Grill (@CollegeBarTempe) March 16, 2018
With the Pac-12 completely eliminated from the tournament, could the MAC be the better conference? We’ll let you decide:
I'd just like to point out that 17 of Buffalo's 21 MAC games were closer than that.
— Pat Boylan (@PatBoylanPacers) March 16, 2018
Pac-12:
— Hustle Belt (@HustleBelt) March 16, 2018
1-8 in bowl games
No teams in Round of 32
MAC:
Only 1-4 in bowl games ✅
One team in Round of 32 ✅
MAC > PAC
Buffalo continues its underdog journey against 5-seeded Kentucky on Saturday. The Bulls are 0-1 against the Wildcats all-time, losing 71-52 to Calipari’s 38-1 team from the 2014-15 season.