Steph Curry gifts Fairleigh Dickinson team Splash Party sneakers
Fairleigh Dickinson pulled off just the second 16-over-1 upset in NCAA history on Friday night.
The win knocked off No. 1 seed Purdue’s quest to reach the Final Four for the first time in 43 years. The Knights were not even supposed to make the Big Dance, failing to earn the NEC’s automatic bid. Instead, they lost to Merrimack in the conference finals. Because Merrimack is ineligible for the tournament as it makes the jump from Division II to Division I, Fairleigh Dickinson received the nod.
The Knights are making the most of their time in the NCAA Tournament, though. And they will look to continue the run Sunday night against No. 9 seed Florida Atlantic with a trip to the Sweet 16 up for grabs.
Ahead of tip, Under Armour and Steph Curry sent the players a gift. Each athlete met with a pair of Curry Flow 10 Splash Party sneakers along with gear featuring the Golden State Warriors star’s logo at their locker before shootaround.
Under Armour is FDU’s official apparel sponsor; the Knights are coached by first-year head coach Tobin Anderson. Curry knows a few things about causing madness in March. He led Davidson to the Elite Eight in 2008.
The four-time NBA champion first signed with Under Armour in 2013. Curry has a lifetime deal with the brand, which was announced this past September. Similar to Michael Jordan and LeBron James‘ relationship with Nike, the two parties launched the Curry Brand back in 2020.
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The sportswear company has placed a focus on creating NIL opportunities for athletes in the tournament. Maryland, Notre Dame, South Carolina and Utah women’s basketball teams each have shirzees for sale on the company’s website and will receive an undisclosed profit from the sales. The unisex tees are going for $45.
Fairleigh Dickinson enters Round of 32 as underdog
If FDU beats the Owls on Sunday night, it will become the first team in NCAA Tournament history to make the Sweet 16. While UMBC beat Virginia in the first round back in 2018, it did not advance to the second weekend.
The 68th seed in the field of 68 is a 15.5-point underdog against FAU. The winner of Sunday night’s game will play Tennessee in the Sweet 16 on Thursday at Madison Square Garden.