Another upset for Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Bruce Pearl's eyes welled up and his throat tightened the moment he heard Boston College's fight song. Nothing makes him cry quicker than "For Boston."

But a few hours later, Wisconsin-Milwaukee's coach, who once stuffed himself inside the BC eagle's mascot suit for a game, clapped his hands to another sentimental tune — one without a title.

"It's just called the UWM fight song," said a Milwaukee band member, showing the sheet music.

On Saturday in Cleveland, they were singing it from Madison to Menomonee Falls.

Joah Tucker scored 23 points, Ed McCants had 18 and Adrian Tigert 16 as the 12th-seeded Panthers sprung their second NCAA tournament upset in three days, an 83-75 win over Boston College in the second round Saturday.

Given little chance in the opening round against Alabama from the SEC or against the Big East's regular-season champions, Milwaukee (26-5) gave the nation's mid-major programs another moment to savor this March.

"We're going to the Sweet 16," Tucker said after the Panthers pranced around the floor. "We've got a name to put on this win."

The Panthers did it the way they know best: with a relentless, full-court press that confounded the Eagles (25-5), forcing them into 22 turnovers — the most crucial one a pass that was thrown away with 1:21 remaining and BC down 76-75.

"I thought we would handle it better," Eagles coach Al Skinner said. "They attacked us, stayed aggressive and didn't stop."

The Panthers, who have won 10 straight and 19 of 20, weren't intimidated by some early trash talk from Boston College and overcame foul trouble in the second half to advance to next week's round of 16.

Milwaukee will play Illinois on Thursday in the Chicago Regional in Rosemont, Ill. The Panthers are the fifth No. 12 seed to advance to the national quarterfinals since 1989 and the first since Butler, one of its the Horizon league brethren, in 2003.

They could have some company from other double-digit seeds in the round of 16 if Bucknell, Vermont or North Carolina State can win Sunday.

But for now, the Panthers, who outscored Boston College 9-0 in the final 1:32, have the tourney's underdog tag all to themselves.

"It was an upset," BC guard Jared Dudley said. "We were the higher seed and felt we had an advantage. But obviously, they wanted it more."