The Top 4 Finishes of Day One of the NCAA Tournament
Yesterday’s dose of March Madness was sufficiently mad.
Since you were working so hard yesterday, and definitely not streaming the tournament from your desk, you missed a score of exciting endings from the world of college basketball. In reverse order (because it’s exciting, that’s why), here are our three favorite finishes from yesterday in the NCAA.
4. New Mexico State Brings San Diego State into OT
An easy layup brought New Mexico State within three with 15 seconds left, which should have allowed SDSU to cruise to a victory on foul shots. Provided, of course, that they don’t commit an egregious and impossible turnover on their inbounds pass.
(GIF via SB Nation)
Whoops. On the ensuing possession, NMSU guard Kevin Aronis was able to take two triples, missing the first but sinking the second from serious distance after the Aggies were able to grab the offensive board.
(GIF via SB Nation)
SDSU was able to outlast the comeback kids in the OT though, which is disappointing, but it saved a lot of brackets, so we can get on board with it.
3. Texas Downs Arizona State With Their Big Man
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pv9PKwHLojc
In another case of the higher seed just eking out a victory, Texas and Arizona State were tied and the Longhorns had the last shot. After dribbling out the clock, Jonathan Holmes got off an ill-advised, nothing-to-lose-style three, which missed and ended up in the hands of the 6’9 Cameron Ridley, who had just enough time to go up and ease it into the hoop.
2. North Dakota State Upsets the Sooners with Huge Three
Tied with Harvard for the lowest seed to advance, North Dakota was able to finish the job in overtime, but it’s the miracle three that got them there that was the real story.
(GIF via SB Nation)
With 11 seconds on the clock, Lawrence Alexander stepped back and drained this poorly defended, but still miraculous jumper from three. Oklahoma was unable to answer and NDSU finished up by five in the extra period.
1. Dayton Wins the Battle of Ohio
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi96-GtUIdY
The first game of the tourney was also the most exciting – and the most bracket-busting. Our appetite for Cinderella stories was immediately whet when Dayton’s Vee Sanford went straight to the rim, negating the mind-bending layup that Ohio State’s Aaron Craft just sunk. Craft took it back in the waning seconds but wasn’t able to complete the play, leaving the Buckeyes high and dry and allowing Dayton the finest of trolling opportunities.
Photos by Getty Images
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