On March 16, 2018, UMBC defeated Virginia, 74-54, in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, becoming the first No. 16 seed to knock off a No. 1 seed in men’s tournament history.
The upset made head coach Ryan Odom and star guard Jairus Lyles the unanimous choice for PressBox’s 2018 Sportspersons of the Year.
Odom guided the Retrievers to a 25-11 record in just his second year with the program. PressBox’s Stan “The Fan” Charles and Glenn Clark talked with Odom about the upset, its impact and more. Read the full interview here.
Lyles scored 28 points in the 74-54 win against Virginia, shooting 9-of-11 from the field and 3-of-4 from 3-point range. He also sank the game-winner against Vermont to send the Retrievers to the Tournament. Glenn Clark talked with Lyles in March shortly after UMBC’s season ended and in November as Lyles pursued his NBA dream with the G League’s Salt Lake City Stars. Read the full interview here.
Photo Credit: Mitchell Layton Photography