The opening tip of every NCAA tournament signals the opening of possibility. College basketball’s mightiest goliaths can fall in a 40-minute battle against the most anonymous of underdogs, who capture the nation’s attention for a few hours—or a few weeks in the right year. This March could bring the next UMBC, the next Florida Gulf Coast or the next Lehigh.
CJ McCollum doesn’t agree with that final designation. “Don’t be celebrating like you’re surprised we won,” McCollum remembers telling his teammates 10 years ago, on a Friday night in Greensboro, N.C., when Lehigh defeated No. 2 Duke in the round of 64.
Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated
