Houston appeared to have Sunday’s win over Texas A&M within the bag in regulation.
As a substitute, the top-seeded Cougars discovered themselves in a combat down the stretch that threatened their NCAA match lives.
No. 9 seed Texas A&M rallied from an 11-point deficit within the last two minutes to power additional time within the second-round NCAA match sport. However Houston survived in a 100-95 thriller to advance to a Candy 16 showdown with Duke.
Houston blows huge lead, hangs on to win
Houston led, 82-71 with 1:48 remaining. However the Aggies rallied and lower the result in 86-83 with 45 seconds left. They then had two seems to be at game-tying 3-pointers within the sport’s last 10 seconds. Wade Taylor IV missed each.
However officers whistled a bounce ball with 1.2 seconds remaining on the rebound, guaranteeing possession for Texas A&M. This time, the Aggies did not miss. Andersson Garcia caught an inbounds cross off the bounce then linked on a 3-pointer to tie the sport on the buzzer.
Houston appeared in unhealthy form heading into additional time. Starters Ja’Vier Francis and L.J. Cryer watched on the bench after each fouled out in regulation. Jamal Shead and Emanuel Sharp joined them on the bench after fouling out within the additional session. However earlier than he fouled out, Shead scored 5 factors in additional time and assisted on a Sharp 3-pointer that obtained the scoring began within the additional session.
Senior walk-on ices sport after starters foul out
The Cougars by no means trailed in additional time after Sharp’s 3 gave them an 89-86 lead. They prolonged the result in 93-87, however nonetheless confronted one other tense second within the sport’s last seconds.
The absence of 4 fouled-out starters pressured little-used senior walk-on Ryan Elvin to the free throw line with a visit to the Candy 16 at stake.
Elvin, who’s averaged 0.9 factors in 2.9 minutes per sport this season, discovered himself on the stripe for 2 free throws with Houston main 98-95. A made free throw would push Houston’s result in two possessions with 17 seconds remaining. He missed the primary. He then sank the second to boost his profession free-throw tally to eight for 11. He additionally iced the sport for the Cougars.
When the ultimate buzzer sounded after a livid last jiffy, it spelled reduction for the top-seeded Cougars. For Texas A&M, it meant heartbreak.
The emotion was palpable within the Houston tunnel after the sport.
:56 seconds of a rollercoaster of feelings from the Houston Cougars.
– Kellen Sampson: “Now they must see us in Dallas!!”
– Ramon Walker Jr. in tears.
– Ryan Elvin sharing a hug with a coach.
That is what March Insanity is about. pic.twitter.com/8C5c6n8lmn
— Chancellor Johnson (@ChancellorTV) March 25, 2024
Aggies problem Houston’s vaunted protection
The rating amounted to a shootout for Houston, which is used to locking down opponents. Houston entered Sunday’s sport permitting opponents an NCAA-low 57 factors per sport and 37.8% field-goal proportion. It ranked ranked first in KenPom’s adjusted defensive effectivity and held 10 opponents this season to fewer than 50 factors en path to a No. 1 seed.
Texas A&M outplayed all these measures on Sunday and saved stress on Houston till the ultimate buzzer. In the end, it wasn’t sufficient.
Houston’s offense had few issues because the Cougars shot 51.5% from the sector and noticed three gamers rating 20 factors or extra. Shead, Houston’s presumptive All-America level guard, orchestrated the trouble. He completed the sport with 21 factors, 10 assists and 5 rebounds.
Sharp posted a game-high 30 factors whereas capturing 7 of 14 from the sector. Cryer added 20 factors, 4 assists and three rebounds. All watched the tense last seconds from the bench after fouling out.
Senior guard Tyrece Radford led the Aggie effort with 27 factors, 15 rebounds and 6 assists. Taylor posted 21 factors whereas struggling mightily from the ground. The Aggies’ main scorer on the season (19 factors per sport), he shot 5 of 26 from the sector and three of 13 from 3-point distance.
Texas A&M’s season involves an finish whereas Houston’s extends to a close-by NCAA regional in Dallas.