March Madness 2022 - From Eli Manning's fandom to signs on the Jersey Turnpike - A viral run with Cinderella Saint Peter's

Few things unite New Jersey more than mentioning Wawa, going down the shore or the phrase «20 regular, cash.»

With their 2022 NCAA tournament run, you can add the Saint Peter's Peacocks to that list — even if their March Madness appearance lasts for only a few more days.

On Friday, the team made its first Sweet 16 appearance in Philadelphia, just 90 miles from its home arena, and faced 3-seed Purdue in the East Region semifinal.

The Peacocks came out on top and made history as the first 15-seed to make the Elite Eight.

Last weekend, Saint Peter's followed up its opening 85-79 overtime win over Kentucky with a 70-60 victory against Murray State in which the Peacocks never trailed to become the third 15-seed to reach the Sweet 16.

These days, the Peacocks are living a charmed life as a Cinderella team and enjoying being the underdog darling of the tournament. Here's a look at their week:

The Peacocks' St. Patrick's day upset win over Kentucky was the start of this Cinderella story. It also spurred a new holiday that might be celebrated in the state for years to come.

HAPPY SAINT PETER'S DAY!!<a href=«https://twitter.com/hashtag/StrutUp?src=hash&ref_src=» https: www.espn.com>#StrutUp