Buzzer-beater lifts Loyola-chicago
Ingram hits clutch shot for Ramblers
DALLAS— Donte Ingram picked the perfect spot for this game-winning shot.
Ingram hit a 3-pointer from the March Madness logo just before the buzzer, lifting 11th-seeded Loyola-chicago over Miami 64-62 in a Thursday thriller at the NCAA Tournament.
“Well, it’s pretty simple to know why we call it March Madness,” said Hurricanes coach Jim Larranaga, left holding his head in stunned disbelief after Ingram’s shot.
In 2006, Larranaga took 11th-seed George Mason to the Final Four. This time, it was Loyola’s turn to celebrate after making its first tournament appearance in 33 years.
The long shot from well beyond the key came with just a split-second left, and was set up by a pass from Marques Townes. It happened after Lonnie Walker IV missed a free throw with a chance to give Miami a threepoint lead with 9 seconds remaining.
“I thank Marques for making that pass,” said Ingram, who was 3 of 8 from 3 and scored 13 points. “Any one of us could have hit that shot, but I was just fortunate enough to be in the position.”
The Ramblers (29-5) matched the school record for wins from their 1963 national championship team in their first NCAA trip since losing to Patrick Ewing and Georgetown in the Sweet 16 in 1985. They advanced to face third-seeded Tennessee on Saturday.
Loyola, with an 11-game winning streak that is its longest since winning the NCAA title, was boosted by a pregame prayer from its team chaplain, 98-year-old Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt.
She’s held that post for more than two decades and, sitting courtside in her wheelchair, got hugs from the Ramblers when it was over.
“I just gave a big sigh of relief and said, ‘Thank God,’” she said.
The sixth-seeded Hurricanes (22-10) led most of the second half in their third straight trip to the tournament, but couldn’t pull away in the final minutes and lost in the first round for the second straight year.
The buzzer sounded as Ingram’s shot went in, and the Ramblers celebrated wildly in front of the raucous fans wearing maroon-and-gold scarfs in the American Airlines Center sections across from their bench.
But officials put 0.3 seconds back on the clock, forcing Loyola to gather on the bench and postponing the celebration until after a desperation full-court pass bounced away harmlessly.
No. 5 Kentucky 78, No. 12 Davidson 73 —
At Boise, Idaho, Kentucky topped Davidson despite failing to make a single 3-pointer, snapping a nation-best streak of 1,047 games with a 3 that began in 1988. The Wildcats went 0 for 6 from behind the line and didn’t even try one over the final 8:46. UNLV now holds the longest streak at 1,040 games. Kevin Knox led the Wildcats (25-10) with 25 points, as they pulled away after Davidson (21-12) tied things at 54 with 8:01 remaining. Kentucky will play No. 13 Buffalo on Saturday.
No. 3 Tennessee 73, No. 14 Wright State 47 —
At Dallas, Rick Barnes is now winning NCAA Tournament games with “Rocky Top” in Texas. With the Tennessee coach back in familiar territory, Admiral Schofield had 15 points and 12 rebounds as the Volunteers opened their first NCAA under Barnes with a win. The Volunteers (26-8) never had much trouble with the Horizon League tournament champ making its first NCAA appearance since 2007. The Vols led 3-2 when Schofield made a 3-pointer with 16:42 left, and Wright State (25-10) went back ahead on the next possession before Jordan Bowden’s layup put the Vols up for good. Barnes is 5-0 in NCAA Tournament games at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, about a three-hour drive from the University of Texas. He led the Longhorns to 16 appearances in 17 years.