The ones who wait: March Madness unsung heroes
Mar 20, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; The Arizona Wildcats bench reacts in the first half against the LIU Sharks during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images Going through the grind isn’t easy, but rewards can often be satisfying for a cast of role players behind the scenes March Madness has plenty of upsets, but as a 1-seed, you have a responsibility to handle your business. Not only versus your opponent, but also to your teammates, to not cheat them out of an opportunity they may never get again.
So when the final score read Arizona 92, Long Island 58, on paper and in person it wasn’t close. It was never going to be – as it should be. Because complacency robs unsung heroes of their opportunity for a little love.
The top-seeded Wildcats came flying out of the gates against the Sharks on Friday in San Diego, going up by double digits in the opening minutes on their way to a 34-point demolition that validated every bit of their No. 1 seed status . It was the largest NCAA Tournament win for Arizona since 1998, a showcase for a team that looks very much like a national title contender.
But tucked inside the blowout, at the end of each bench, was a different story entirely. With the clock winding down and the outcome long decided, LIU’s Eddie Munyak checked in. He had only entered one game all season.
Just one. And yet there he was, under the bright lights of the NCAA Tournament, the biggest stage in college basketball, in a gym full of Wildcat red and was presented an opportunity. When the ball swung to Munyak from Tre’s Sheppard with just under a minute left, it was all or nothing.
Continue to the original source for the full article.