March Madness is all about upsets and Cinderella stories, and there was a big upset in the second game on Thursday’s slate when No. 13 Furman hit a last-second 3-pointer to defeat No. 4 Virginia in Orlando .
But it didn’t look like Furman had a chance as Virginia held the lead with just under 10 seconds left. Until point guard Kihei Clark tried to escape a trap by throwing a pass down the court to kill the clock.
It was a mistake. Furman’s Garrett Hien intercepted the pass and found JP Pegues for a deep 3-pointer and a 68-67 lead with 2.2 seconds left.
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Garrett Hien (13) and Jalen Slawson (20) of the Furman Paladins celebrate near the end of their game against the Virginia Cavaliers in the first round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at the Amway Center on March 16, 2023 in Orlando , fl. Furman won 68-67. (King Spears/Getty Images)
Virginia offered a prayer at the end, but went unanswered, and the Cavaliers players were stunned.
So were many March Madness fans on social media, including Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
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Furman forward Tyrese Hughey (15) and forward Alex Williams celebrate their victory against Virginia during a first-round game at the NCAA tournament on Thursday, March 16, 2023, in Orlando, Florida. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Bally Sports’ Annie Agar compared the pass to a try during the final NFL season. The New England Patriots attempted a tricky last-second play against the Los Vegas Raiders, and NFL fans will remember that it didn’t go so well.
Virginia has been a team susceptible to surprises due to the slow and methodical style of play under head coach Tony Bennett. Sixteen-seeded UMBC defeated the No. 1-seeded Cavaliers in 2018 in one of the biggest upsets in NCAA tournament history.
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Upsets are one of the best parts of the tournament, which is why recently retired NFL defensive end JJ Watt is thrilled at the start of March Madness.
Kadin Shedrick of the Virginia Cavaliers looks dejected against the Furman Paladins during the second half of the first round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at the Amway Center on March 16, 2023 in Orlando, Florida. (Mike Ehrman/Getty Images)
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