NCAA Tournament Upset: La Salle Stuns Kansas State 63-61

Mar 22, 2013; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas State Wildcats guard Shane Southwell (1) looks to pass as La Salle Explorers guard D.J. Peterson (1) defends in the first half during the second round of the 2013 NCAA tournament at the Sprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 22, 2013; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas State Wildcats guard Shane Southwell (1) looks to pass as La Salle Explorers guard D.J. Peterson (1) defends in the first half during the second round of the 2013 NCAA tournament at the Sprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 22, 2013; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas State Wildcats guard Shane Southwell (1) looks to pass as La Salle Explorers guard D.J. Peterson (1) defends in the first half during the second round of the 2013 NCAA tournament at the Sprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 22, 2013; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas State Wildcats guard Shane Southwell (1) looks to pass as La Salle Explorers guard D.J. Peterson (1) defends in the first half during the second round of the 2013 NCAA tournament at the Sprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /

The brackets continue to get busted as we hit the midway point of the second day of March Madness. Hours after the Ole Miss Rebels busted brackets in the wild, wild West region the La Salle Explorers cleaned up the rest as they came in and took down the 4-seeded Kansas Wildcats. But the win was a cinderella fans dream as it sets up a Round of 32 showdown between 13-seed Ole Miss and 14-seed La Salle, something that rarely happens in March Madness but is welcomed warmly.

La Salle’s win guarantees either a 13 or 14 seed advancing to the Sweet Sixteen.

Kansas State was beat up in the paint early which was what put them in the hole they got into against La Salle later in the game. The Wildcats lead them game only briefly and did so sporadically and dramatically late in the contest. But whatever the Wildcats tried to do late was far to little compared to the way they had been slammed the rest of the game.

The last play in particular was the epitome of Kansas State’s day, as Angel Rodriguez tried to drive to the basket but was blocked in every attempt he made. His last ditch effort was a shot from behind the backboard as he was trying to avoid falling out of bounds. Kansas State head coach Bruce Weber was desperately trying to call a timeout but no one managed to relay that message and the clock ran out on the final fateful play.

La Salle has a chance to be a cinderella team that makes a deep run into the tournament, but for now it’s upset mania in the wild, wild West.