For Perkins, this tournament bid is a bit of vindication after the grueling schedule the school set up for the team. The Golden Lions opened the season with 14 consecutive games away from home, earning an estimated $800,000 for their trouble. At the time, Perkins insisted the schedule wasn't all about money, saying Ivory wanted to test his team before conference play.
So UAPB played and lost to teams like Georgia Tech, Missouri and Kansas State.
“It helped make us a better team. It made us more physical,” guard Terrance Calvin said. “I think we were the most physical team in our conference.”
There were some groans Sunday after Kansas State was matched up with North Texas; the UAPB players apparently wanted a rematch. Instead, the Golden Lions will have to win Tuesday night in Dayton, Ohio, just to make it to the round of 64.
“I thought we were going to get an automatic bid into it without a play-in game, but we've got to go through Winthrop to get to Duke,” Calvin said. “We've just got to do what we've got to do.”
Calvin was still wearing part of the net from Saturday night in his hat, a sign the players and coaches were savoring every moment of their big weekend.
“It's been kind of hectic. You know, a lot of phone calls, text messages, interviews,” Ivory said. "We love it.”
