- Virginia pulled off a wild comeback against Louisville on Thursday night, scoring five points with just 0.9 seconds to play to secure the unlikely win.
- The Cavaliers were helped by both clutch shooting and an inbounding mistake by the Cardinals on one of the final plays of the game.
- The win moves Virginia to 27-2 on the season and the team will likely enter the NCAA Tournament as the top seed in the field.
Down four with less than a second left to play, top-ranked Virginia found a way to win in one of the most stunning finishes of the college basketball season.
Trailing 66-62 with 0.9 seconds left in the game, Ty Jerome was fouled while shooting a three, sending him to the line. He made the first two free throws, offering the Cavaliers a chance for a miss-and-tip to tie the game, but Virginia was called for a lane violation, giving the ball back to Louisville with a two point lead.
It felt like the game was over, but Louisville was called for a travel during the inbound pass, as Deng Adel ran across the baseline in his attempt to bring the ball in. The call gave the ball back to Virginia, and they would take advantage.
The inbound came to De’Andre Hunter, who put up a heave from beyond the arc, and banked it in for the win. The crowd of Louisville faithful were stunned.
“I just knew I had to get a shot off quick,” said Hunter of his fateful shot. “The play wasn’t originally drawn up for me, but Ty (Jerome) told me to step back and if I had a look to shoot it. That’s what I did, and it’s my first game-winner ever.”
The win brings Virginia to 27-2 on the season, with the Cavaliers expected to be the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament when the brackets come out next Sunday.