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NCAA Upset: Murray State Knocks Off Marquette In First Round

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

OK - now a story of real-life sports prophecy. Our own Tom Goldman was on the show yesterday, setting up the NCAA basketball tournament and possible upsets. And he gave us this little hint.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED BROADCAST)

TOM GOLDMAN, BYLINE: Watch Murray State from the highly unheralded Ohio Valley Conference mainly because of one player. It is a super guard named Ja Morant.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

You called it, Tom. Number 12 seed Murray State - that's a pretty low seed, not one of the superstar teams - dominated number five seed Marquette. And March Madness has its newest star, according to TBS announcer Carter Blackburn.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

CARTER BLACKBURN: No screen - it's all Ja. Step back, Jack.

(CHEERING)

BLACKBURN: Oh, Ja.

MARTIN: It is all Ja. Ja Morant achieved a triple-double - double-digit scoring, assists and rebounds. It's been seven years since another player did that in the men's tournament.

INSKEEP: According to Sports Illustrated, Ja Morant's father stood up during the game's final seconds and shouted to the crowd, are you not entertained?

MARTIN: We are. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

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