“He just freaking threw it!” – Jalen Slawson left dazed as Furman upsets Virginia on late clutch play

The Furman Paladins came into the NCAA Tournament as an underdog. After a jaw-dropping first-round upset, Furman is looking like a potential Cinderella story.

The Paladins came into the opening round set to take on the No. 4 seed Virginia Cavaliers. Many expected that Virginia, one of the toughest defensive teams in the country, would be too challenging for the No. 13 seed.

In the final moments of the game, Virginia looked to be on the verge of moving onto the next round. The Cavaliers had possession of the ball as the final seconds were winding out, up by two points. A foul would see Virginia have the chance to put the game away at the free-throw line.

But then an errant pass from Virginia's Kihei Clark saw Furman have a desperation chance at redemption. JP Pegues hit a game-winning 3-point shot, sending the Paladins to the next round with a 68-67 victory and shocking the basketball world.

After the chaos of the final seconds, senior forward Jalen Slawson gave an emphatic reaction in the tunnel of the stadium.

"He just freaking threw it," Slawson said in disbelief.

Furman (28-7) now moves on to play Saturday against the winner of Thursday's matchup between No. 5 seed San Diego State (27-6) and the College of Charleston (28-7).

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Jalen Slawson and Furman upset No.4 Seed Virginia

Jalen Slawson and the Paladins are moving on to the next round

March Madness has become one of the most exciting events in all of sports. At any point, a team can become one of the top storylines of the NCAA Tournament.

That's just the case for the No.13 seed Paladins, who gave basketball fans the first eye-opening upset of the 2023 NCAA Tournament. After it looked as if Virginia would put the game away at the free-throw line, a last-second turnover gave the Paladins a chance at glory.

The upset victory was led by senior forward Jalen Slawson, who has been sensational throughout the entire 2022-23 season. Slawson finished with an impressive 19 points, 10 rebounds and four assists while shooting 6-for-10. It's even more impressive, given the reputation Virginia has as a daunting defensive team.

Virginia is no stranger to upsets. The Cavaliers became the first and only No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 16 seed when they were upset by UMBC 75-54 in 2018.

Furman, meanwhile, won its first NCAA Tournament game in 49 years. The Paladins last made the Big Dance in 1980, when the tournament still had 48 teams.