Saint Louis Upsets Michigan in March Madness Thriller

Billikens stun Wolverines with late-game heroics to advance to Sweet 16

Mar. 21, 2026 at 5:19pm

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In a thrilling Second Round matchup of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, the 12th-seeded Saint Louis Billikens pulled off a stunning upset over the 4th-seeded Michigan Wolverines, winning 72-69 on a last-second 3-pointer. The victory sends the Billikens to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2014.

Why it matters

This win marks a major accomplishment for the Saint Louis program, which has struggled to find consistent success in recent years. The Billikens' ability to knock off a perennial March Madness contender like Michigan will raise the team's national profile and could help with recruiting top talent to the mid-major program.

The details

With the game tied 69-69 and just 5 seconds remaining, Saint Louis guard Javonte Perkins drained a deep 3-pointer at the buzzer to stun the Michigan crowd and send the Billikens to the next round. Perkins finished with a team-high 22 points, while Michigan's star player Hunter Dickinson had a game-high 27 points in the losing effort.

  • The Second Round game was played on March 21, 2026.

The players

Javonte Perkins

A senior guard for the Saint Louis Billikens who hit the game-winning 3-pointer to upset Michigan.

Hunter Dickinson

A junior center for the Michigan Wolverines and one of the top players in college basketball, who led all scorers with 27 points in the loss.

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What they’re saying

“I'm so proud of our guys. They fought hard the entire game and never gave up, even when we were down late. To hit a shot like that at the buzzer is the stuff dreams are made of.”

— Travis Ford, Head Coach, Saint Louis Billikens

“It's a tough way to end our season, but credit to Saint Louis, they made the plays when it mattered most. We had our chances but just couldn't get that last stop.”

— Juwan Howard, Head Coach, Michigan Wolverines

What’s next

Saint Louis will face the winner of the 1-seed Gonzaga vs. 8-seed Memphis game in the Sweet 16 on March 26th.

The takeaway

This March Madness upset shows the parity in college basketball, as a mid-major program like Saint Louis can knock off a traditional powerhouse like Michigan on the biggest stage. It's a testament to the hard work and determination of the Billikens' players and coaching staff.