March Madness has just about everything, from future NBA stars to unlikely heroes. But sometimes, it can also uncover heartfelt moments, even in the midst of a blowout.
That’s what happened during No. 16 seed LIU’s 92-58 loss to No. 1 Arizona in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday, March 20. The game was virtually over by halftime, but it still provided the Sharks with lifelong memories – especially one player in particular.
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Sophomore guard Eddie Munyak, a 6-foot-1 walk-on guard, entered for LIU in the final moments of its loss to one of the national championship favorites. He waved for the ball multiple times while the Sharks were down 80-53, and when he finally received the pass, he fired from 3-point range and banked the shot off the backboard through the net for his first career points.
It was only Munyak’s second appearance in a game this season, last seeing the floor for two minutes against LeMoyne on Jan. 29. He was expectedly hype after sinking the shot, putting his arms out as he ran back on defense in jubilation.
“He’ll remember that for a lifetime,” play-by-play commentator Kevin Harlan said on the broadcast. “This is the beauty of this tournament.”
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Despite Munyak’s 3-pointer having no impact on the game’s conclusion, his LIU teammates erupted on the bench after he hit his first-career shot. Sometimes it means more than just wins and losses, especially as the Sharks have never won an NCAA Tournament game.
The teams that make deep NCAA Tournament runs in 2026 will be riddled with future professional players. Munyak won’t be one of them, but he certainly made a memory that’ll last a lifetime against Arizona.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LIU walk-on scores first career points vs Arizona, erupts in celebration
