NCAA's March Madness has lived up to its moniker once again, after a goal-tending call on Bryce Alford's desperate three-pointer in the final seconds stunned Coach Larry Brown's SMU, and eventually lost the game against UCLA Bruins on Thursday, according to Bleacher Report.
After SMU's forced turnover, UCLA got possession of the ball while trailing 59-57, with less than 20 seconds in the game clock. Alford, who sunk in nine 3-ponters and finished the game with 27 points, caught an inbound pass, dribbled up near midcourt, and threw a well-guarded "Hail Mary" behind the three-point arc. As the shot was about to hit the rim, SMU's Yanick Moreira lifted on the shaded area and partially deflected the ball on its way down.
The referee saw it as basket interference and whistled goal-tending against SMU, giving UCLA an automatic three points and the lead, 60-59, in the closing seconds of what many perceived as "March Madness" cardiac game.
SMU, still with a chance to snap a victory, failed to score in their last possession, leaving outgoing senior Moreira taking fully responsibility for the error and Coach Larry Brown heartbroken.
During the post-game interview, Washington Post reported that Brown was bewildred, telling the press it was heartbreaking and that he had never seen a game end like that. And still without a clue to what just happened, Brown lamented," Again, you don't look at one play. We had our chances to win, and it didn't happen. I'm sick for those kids."
One the other hand, Moreira, who thought he had the ball and didn't know that it hit the rim, told the press that he takes the blame on himself and that as a senior, should not have made that crucial error in the closing game.