March 15, 2019

#129 - Jairus Lyles - 2018 NCAA Tournament Star & Captain of UMBC Shares His Story of Being The First #16 Seed To Beat a #1 Seed In History

33 minutes

Guest Bio:
Lyles competed for the VCU Rams as a freshman in 2013–14 under head coach Shaka Smart, averaging 0.7 points, 0.2 rebounds, and 0.3 assists in only 2.9 minutes per game. Following the season, he transferred to play for the Robert Morris Colonials but was forced to sit out in 2014–15 due to eligibility rules. After one semester at Robert Morris, Lyles transferred to the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), where he would play for the Retrievers starting in the 2015–16 season. He made an instant impact as a sophomore for UMBC, averaging 23.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game and garnering second-team All-America East Conference accolades. In his junior season, Lyles averaged 18.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists en route to second-team All-America East honors. He scored a total of 604 points, breaking the school record for most points by a junior.

Lyles made his senior debut on November 10, 2017, in a loss to SMU, scoring 24 points with five assists for UMBC. In his next game, he recorded 31 points, five rebounds, four assists, and three steals in a defeat to Arizona. On November 19, Lyles had a double-double of 26 points and 11 rebounds against Colgate. He scored a season-best 35 points to help UMBC beat Hartford on January 15, 2018. By the end of his regular season campaign, Lyles was named first-team All-America East. On March 10, in the championship game of the 2018 America East Tournament vs. Vermont, Lyles scored 27 points, including a game-winning three-pointer with 0.5 seconds left in regulation. He was named most outstanding player of the tournament. On March 16, at the first round of the 2018 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, Lyles notched a game-high 28 points, shooting 9-of-11 from the field, to lead UMBC to a 20-point upset over top-seeded Virginia. The game marked the first time in tournament history that a 16-seed defeated a 1-seed. After his performance, Lyles drew national attention, being featured in stories by The Washington Post and USA Today.

Lyles joined the Utah Jazz for the NBA Summer League. He is the first Retriever to play in the 12 years the NBA has had a Summer League. On July 12, 2018, he signed with the Utah Jazz. After appearing in five preseason games, the Jazz added Lyles to their NBA G League affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars.

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