Bryce Alford hit the biggest 3-pointer of his life Thursday. Well, kind of.
Alford’s 11th-seeded UCLA Bruins trailed the No. 6 SMU Mustangs by two points with under 20 seconds to play in their NCAA Tournament matchup. That’s when the sophomore guard hoisted an off-balance 3-point shot that sailed well wide of the basket.
Then the referees intervened, calling goaltending on SMU’s Yanick Moreira, allowing the basket to count and giving UCLA a one-point lead. The Mustangs missed two jumpers during their final possession, and the Bruins escaped with an improbable 60-59 win.
But did the refs make the right call?
The overhead angle appears to justify the referees’ case, but the side view shows Moreira’s hand isn’t directly above the basket. The refs also declined to review the play, which irked SMU coach Larry Brown after the game.
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Yet Moreira did touch the ball while it still was above the cylinder of the basket, which by definition is goaltending. In a heartbreaking moment after the game, the senior center took full responsibility for the play.
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Whether or not you agree with the call, it was a pretty incredible finish for Alford, who became the second player of the day to “make” a game-winner for his father (UCLA head coach Steve Alford). Earlier in the day, Ron Hunter Jr. knocked his father out of his chair when he actually made a 3-pointer to give Georgia State an upset win over Baylor.
Thumbnail photo via David Stephenson/Associated Press
