Friday, March 22, 2024
HIGH SCORING AND FREE THROWS DEFINE DAY 2
A 3-way tie for first plus Alfred Moniaga jumps 126 places to 23rd
HOME, CA (smt) – You gotta hit your free throws. Last year semifinalist #8E-FAU rallied from 9 points down late to lead by 2 and a chance to add to it but missed the front end of a 1-and-1 and #9-Northwestern tied it at 58 to send it to overtime (2nd OT game including First Four). Northwestern then dominated the OT period 19-7 to advance. Last year semifinalist #5E-San Diego St did not make a FG in the last 4:11 but hit 8/10 free throws to hold off #12E-UAB by three. #4E-Auburn missed their last 3 free throws in the final 10 seconds in a 2-point loss to #13E-Yale, who hit 5/6 in the last 45 seconds. The Tigers lost a starter to an ejection just 3:01 into the game, lost a player to injury in the final scramble, and blew a 10-point lead with 7:27 left.
Last year semifinalist #1E-UConn jumped to a 42-10 lead (eventually built to 55-19) in routing first-timer #16E-Stetson, 91-52. #4W-Alabama (109 with loser #13W-College of Charleston scoring 96), #3W-Baylor (92), #9E-Texas A&M (98) each scored more than 90 with #10S-Colorado and #7S-Florida each reaching 100 points in the Buffaloes prevailing 102-100 on a side jumper that bounced a few times on the rim before falling in with 1.7 seconds left.
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CERRITOS APT/LONG BEACH, CA (smt)- Was just about to write all four teams winning by double-digits and then #4E-Florida decided to change things up. Up by 12 with 4 and a half minutes left, #8E-Wisconsin battled back with some help from the Gators. Florida missed four shots, two free throws, and committed two turnovers, and failed to foul while up by 3 leading to Zak Showalter’s off-balance running three-pointer to tie the game at 72 with 2 seconds left. With our first overtime of the tourney, the momentum continued with the Badgers building a 5-point led with a minute left. But it was the Badgers’ turn to help out, missing two free throws, committing a dumb early foul, Khalil Iverson mis-timing a breakaway dunk that was partially blocked, and inexplicably allowing Florida to run the down the court with four seconds to give Chris Chiozza an open look, albeit a stop-jump floater, buzzer-beating three-pointer to stun Wisconsin, 84-83. Crazy.