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Last-ditch 3 keeps NC State alive; Wolfpack beat UVA 73-65 in OT after bank shot ties it at buzzer

AP
Mar 16, 2024

WASHINGTON (AP) Michael O'Connell kept North Carolina State's NCAA Tournament hopes alive by the slimmest of margins, banking in a wild 3-pointer at the buzzer to force overtime in a 73-65 victory over Virginia in the ACC Tournament semifinals Friday night.

The 10th-seeded Wolfpack (21-14) are one victory from pulling off an epic five-wins-in-five-days run for the ACC's automatic bid, and if they do it, they'll remember this escape for a while. With the score 58-55, Isaac Mckneely missed the front end of a 1-and-1 for Virginia. O'Connell rushed the ball up the left sideline and shot from in front of his team's bench.

The shot banked off the glass, then rolled around the rim and in.

“I had a direct view of it,” N.C. State coach Kevin Keatts said. “As it went up I was like, man, that shot is going in, it’s going in, and then luckily it did and obviously sent us to overtime.”

It was the second straight night a team made a shot at the buzzer against Virginia to force overtime, but on Thursday the Cavaliers were able to beat Boston College.

“They got momentum because we missed the free throw and they were coming down, and once they got down we did not want to foul in the act of shooting,” Virginia coach Tony Bennett said. “We just were worried about that.”

In overtime, it was the D.J. Burns Jr. show. Time and again, N.C. State would give the ball to the 6-foot-9, 275-pound post player, who would slowly back his way down, he and his defender repeatedly bouncing off each other. Burns scored seven points in overtime and 19 in the game on 8-of-11 shooting.

The Wolfpack take on top-seeded North Carolina for the tournament championship on Saturday night.

N.C. State shot 3 of 17 from 3-point range, but O'Connell made the one the Wolfpack needed, and the Cavaliers (23-10) were done in by their poor free throw shooting.

With 1:10 remaining, Virginia had a five-point lead, and after a flagrant foul called on Burns, the Cavaliers got two shots and the ball. Reece Beekman missed both attempts though, and when he was fouled on the ensuing possession, Beekman made only one of two.

Then Ryan Dunn fouled a 3-point shooter, and Casey Morsell made all three free throws to cut the lead to three.

After a defensive stop, N.C. State had a chance to tie, but when Morsell missed a 3-pointer and Mckneely rebounded, Virginia needed one free throw to ice the game. It never came.

---

AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

1st Half
NCST
Wolfpack
29
UVA
Cavaliers
29

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Mohamed Diarra vs. Ryan Dunn (Cavaliers gains possession)
19:36	+3	Isaac McKneely makes three point jump shot (Reece Beekman assists)	0-3
19:14		Casey Morsell misses two point layup
19:12		Wolfpack offensive rebound
19:05		DJ Burns Jr. misses two point jump shot
19:03		Ryan Dunn defensive rebound
18:40		Isaac McKneely misses two point jump shot
18:38		Cavaliers offensive rebound
18:25		Ryan Dunn misses two point jump shot
18:23		Michael O'Connell defensive rebound
18:10		Mohamed Diarra misses three point jump shot
18:08		Reece Beekman defensive rebound
17:50		Taine Murray misses three point jump shot
17:48		Mohamed Diarra defensive rebound
17:35	+2	DJ Burns Jr. makes two point hook shot	2-3
17:13	+2	Ryan Dunn makes two point dunk (Reece Beekman assists)	2-5
16:41	+2	Casey Morsell makes two point jump shot (Michael O'Connell assists)	4-5
16:19		Isaac McKneely misses three point jump shot
16:17		Jordan Minor offensive rebound
16:03		Mohamed Diarra blocks Taine Murray's two point layup
16:01		Jordan Minor offensive rebound
15:53		Isaac McKneely misses three point jump shot
15:51		Jordan Minor offensive rebound
15:50	+2	Jordan Minor makes two point layup	4-7
15:27		DJ Burns Jr. misses two point jump shot
15:25		Casey Morsell offensive rebound
15:25		Ryan Dunn personal foul
15:25		TV timeout
15:15		DJ Burns Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Jacob Groves steals)
15:05		DJ Horne blocks Jordan Minor's two point layup
15:03		Mohamed Diarra defensive rebound
14:42	+2	DJ Burns Jr. makes two point layup	6-7
14:18		Andrew Rohde misses three point jump shot
14:16		Mohamed Diarra defensive rebound
14:07		DJ Horne misses three point jump shot
14:05		Andrew Rohde defensive rebound
13:46		Casey Morsell shooting foul (Reece Beekman draws the foul)
13:46	+1	Reece Beekman makes regular free throw 1 of 2	6-8
13:46	+1	Reece Beekman makes regular free throw 2 of 2	6-9
13:31	+3	Mohamed Diarra makes three point jump shot (DJ Horne assists)	9-9
13:11		Ben Middlebrooks blocks Jacob Groves's two point layup
13:09		Ben Middlebrooks defensive rebound
13:00		Blake Buchanan shooting foul (Ben Middlebrooks draws the foul)
13:00		Ben Middlebrooks misses regular free throw 1 of 2
13:00	+1	Ben Middlebrooks makes regular free throw 2 of 2	10-9
12:32		Dante Harris misses two point jump shot
12:30		Ben Middlebrooks defensive rebound
12:10	+2	Mohamed Diarra makes two point layup (Casey Morsell assists)	12-9
11:41		Andrew Rohde misses three point jump shot
11:39		Casey Morsell defensive rebound
11:31		DJ Horne misses three point jump shot
11:29		Andrew Rohde defensive rebound
11:13	+2	Isaac McKneely makes two point layup (Andrew Rohde assists)	12-11
10:44	+2	Ben Middlebrooks makes two point layup	14-11
10:18	+3	Isaac McKneely makes three point jump shot (Jacob Groves assists)	14-14
10:06		DJ Horne turnover (lost ball) (Dante Harris steals)
10:05		Ben Middlebrooks personal foul
10:05		TV timeout
9:35		Breon Pass blocks Dante Harris's two point layup
9:34		Cavaliers turnover (shot clock violation)
9:13	+2	Ben Middlebrooks makes two point layup (Breon Pass assists)	16-14
8:45		Reece Beekman turnover (lost ball) (Casey Morsell steals)
8:41	+2	DJ Horne makes two point layup	18-14
8:21	+2	Ryan Dunn makes two point layup (Reece Beekman assists)	18-16
8:01	+2	Ben Middlebrooks makes two point layup (Jayden Taylor assists)	20-16
8:01		Jacob Groves shooting foul (Ben Middlebrooks draws the foul)
8:01	+1	Ben Middlebrooks makes regular free throw 1 of 1	21-16
7:47	+3	Jacob Groves makes three point jump shot (Reece Beekman assists)	21-19
7:20	+2	Ben Middlebrooks makes two point layup (Michael O'Connell assists)	23-19
6:57		Reece Beekman misses three point jump shot
6:55		Breon Pass defensive rebound
6:40		Michael O'Connell turnover (bad pass) (Reece Beekman steals)
6:40		TV timeout
6:22	+2	Reece Beekman makes two point jump shot	23-21
5:47		Mohamed Diarra misses three point jump shot
5:45		Jordan Minor defensive rebound
5:25		Jordan Minor misses two point jump shot
5:23		Michael O'Connell defensive rebound
5:01		Jordan Minor personal foul
4:52	+2	DJ Burns Jr. makes two point hook shot	25-21
4:33		Michael O'Connell blocks Isaac McKneely's two point jump shot
4:31		DJ Burns Jr. defensive rebound
4:20		Jayden Taylor misses two point jump shot
4:18		Reece Beekman defensive rebound
4:08		Reece Beekman turnover (lost ball) (DJ Horne steals)
3:57		Mohamed Diarra offensive foul
3:57		Mohamed Diarra turnover (offensive foul)
3:57		TV timeout
3:45		Isaac McKneely misses two point jump shot
3:43		DJ Burns Jr. defensive rebound
3:13		Michael O'Connell turnover (bad pass) (Jordan Minor steals)
2:56	+3	Reece Beekman makes three point jump shot	25-24
2:31		Casey Morsell misses two point jump shot
2:29		Jordan Minor defensive rebound
2:06	+2	Reece Beekman makes two point layup	25-26
2:06		DJ Burns Jr. shooting foul (Reece Beekman draws the foul)
2:06	+1	Reece Beekman makes regular free throw 1 of 1	25-27
1:41	+2	Michael O'Connell makes two point jump shot	27-27
1:18		Jordan Minor turnover (lost ball) (Ben Middlebrooks steals)
0:54		Ryan Dunn blocks Ben Middlebrooks's two point layup
0:52		Ben Middlebrooks offensive rebound
0:48		Michael O'Connell misses three point jump shot
0:46		Reece Beekman defensive rebound
0:23		Andrew Rohde misses three point jump shot
0:21		Ryan Dunn offensive rebound
0:20	+2	Jordan Minor makes two point layup (Ryan Dunn assists)	27-29
0:19		Wolfpack 30 second timeout
0:10		Isaac McKneely personal foul
0:01	+2	Michael O'Connell makes two point layup	29-29
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
NCST
Wolfpack
29
UVA
Cavaliers
29

Time		Play	Score
19:45	+2	Reece Beekman makes two point layup (Andrew Rohde assists)	29-31
19:14		Mohamed Diarra misses two point jump shot
19:12		Ryan Dunn defensive rebound
18:53		DJ Burns Jr. blocks Jordan Minor's two point layup
18:51		Jordan Minor offensive rebound
18:47		Reece Beekman misses two point jump shot
18:45		Ryan Dunn offensive rebound
18:43		Ryan Dunn misses two point jump shot
18:41		DJ Burns Jr. defensive rebound
18:16	+2	Mohamed Diarra makes two point layup (DJ Burns Jr. assists)	31-31
17:50		Andrew Rohde turnover (bad pass) (Michael O'Connell steals)
17:36		Michael O'Connell misses three point jump shot
17:34		Jordan Minor defensive rebound
17:06		Reece Beekman misses three point jump shot
17:04		Cavaliers offensive rebound
17:03	+2	Ryan Dunn makes two point dunk (Reece Beekman assists)	31-33
16:48		Michael O'Connell offensive foul
16:48		Michael O'Connell turnover (offensive foul)
16:36		Andrew Rohde misses three point jump shot
16:34		Mohamed Diarra defensive rebound
16:23		DJ Horne misses three point jump shot
16:21		Ryan Dunn defensive rebound
16:02		Mohamed Diarra shooting foul (Isaac McKneely draws the foul)
16:02	+1	Isaac McKneely makes regular free throw 1 of 3	31-34
16:02	+1	Isaac McKneely makes regular free throw 2 of 3	31-35
16:02		Isaac McKneely misses regular free throw 3 of 3
16:02		Ben Middlebrooks defensive rebound
15:34		Ben Middlebrooks misses two point layup
15:32		Ben Middlebrooks offensive rebound
15:31		Blake Buchanan blocks Ben Middlebrooks's two point layup
15:29		Blake Buchanan defensive rebound
15:23		Reece Beekman turnover (bad pass) (Ben Middlebrooks steals)
15:17		TV timeout
15:12	+2	DJ Horne makes two point layup	33-35
14:51		Jacob Groves misses two point jump shot
14:49		Mohamed Diarra defensive rebound
14:34		Jacob Groves shooting foul (Ben Middlebrooks draws the foul)
14:34	+1	Ben Middlebrooks makes regular free throw 1 of 2	34-35
14:34	+1	Ben Middlebrooks makes regular free throw 2 of 2	35-35
14:08		Jacob Groves misses three point jump shot
14:06		DJ Horne defensive rebound
13:41		Ben Middlebrooks misses two point layup
13:39		Ryan Dunn defensive rebound
13:21		Ben Middlebrooks blocks Taine Murray's two point layup
13:19		Mohamed Diarra defensive rebound
13:10	+2	Jayden Taylor makes two point jump shot	37-35
12:41	+2	Reece Beekman makes two point jump shot (Taine Murray assists)	37-37
12:23		Mohamed Diarra misses three point jump shot
12:21		Isaac McKneely defensive rebound
12:08		Jacob Groves turnover (bad pass) (Ben Middlebrooks steals)
12:04		DJ Horne misses three point jump shot
12:02		Mohamed Diarra offensive rebound
11:59	+3	Michael O'Connell makes three point jump shot (Mohamed Diarra assists)	40-37
11:49		Michael O'Connell personal foul
11:49		TV timeout
11:39	+3	Taine Murray makes three point jump shot (Reece Beekman assists)	40-40
11:23		Michael O'Connell misses two point jump shot
11:21		Wolfpack offensive rebound
11:13		Jordan Minor shooting foul (DJ Burns Jr. draws the foul)
11:13	+1	DJ Burns Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	41-40
11:13	+1	DJ Burns Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	42-40
10:56		Taine Murray misses two point jump shot
10:54		Mohamed Diarra defensive rebound
10:37		DJ Burns Jr. misses two point jump shot
10:35		Andrew Rohde defensive rebound
10:27		Ryan Dunn misses two point layup
10:25		DJ Burns Jr. defensive rebound
10:13		DJ Horne misses two point jump shot
10:11		Jordan Minor defensive rebound
9:52		Reece Beekman misses two point jump shot
9:50		Mohamed Diarra defensive rebound
9:38		Mohamed Diarra misses three point jump shot
9:36		Andrew Rohde defensive rebound
9:29		Cavaliers 30 second timeout
9:29		TV timeout
9:11		Jordan Minor turnover (lost ball) (DJ Horne steals)
8:48		Michael O'Connell misses three point jump shot
8:46		Taine Murray defensive rebound
8:26	+2	Taine Murray makes two point layup (Reece Beekman assists)	42-42
8:06	+2	Casey Morsell makes two point jump shot	44-42
7:43		Michael O'Connell personal foul
7:43		TV timeout
7:25		Ryan Dunn misses three point jump shot
7:23		Jordan Minor offensive rebound
7:22		Ben Middlebrooks personal foul
7:19	+3	Isaac McKneely makes three point jump shot (Reece Beekman assists)	44-45
6:48		Mohamed Diarra misses two point jump shot
6:46		Ryan Dunn defensive rebound
6:27	+2	Isaac McKneely makes two point jump shot (Reece Beekman assists)	44-47
6:19		Wolfpack 30 second timeout
6:06	+2	Casey Morsell makes two point jump shot	46-47
5:45	+3	Taine Murray makes three point jump shot (Reece Beekman assists)	46-50
5:21		Casey Morsell misses three point jump shot
5:19		Isaac McKneely defensive rebound
5:01		Taine Murray misses three point jump shot
4:59		Jayden Taylor defensive rebound
4:47		DJ Horne misses three point jump shot
4:45		Reece Beekman defensive rebound
4:19	+3	Isaac McKneely makes three point jump shot (Jordan Minor assists)	46-53
4:10		Wolfpack 30 second timeout
4:10		TV timeout
3:52	+2	DJ Burns Jr. makes two point hook shot	48-53
3:20		Jordan Minor misses two point hook shot
3:18		Wolfpack defensive rebound
2:56	+2	DJ Burns Jr. makes two point hook shot	50-53
2:28		Jayden Taylor blocks Reece Beekman's two point layup
2:27		Cavaliers offensive rebound
2:27	+2	Isaac McKneely makes two point jump shot (Reece Beekman assists)	50-55
2:16		Jayden Taylor turnover (out of bounds)
1:56		Ryan Dunn turnover (lost ball) (Casey Morsell steals)
1:52	+2	Casey Morsell makes two point dunk	52-55
1:26	+2	Reece Beekman makes two point dunk (Isaac McKneely assists)	52-57
1:11		DJ Horne turnover (bad pass) (Reece Beekman steals)
1:10		DJ Burns Jr. flagrant 1
1:10		Reece Beekman misses flagrant free throw 1 of 2
1:10		Reece Beekman misses flagrant free throw 2 of 2
0:51		Ben Middlebrooks personal foul
0:51	+1	Reece Beekman makes regular free throw 1 of 2	52-58
0:51		Reece Beekman misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:51		Ben Middlebrooks defensive rebound
0:43		Ryan Dunn shooting foul (Casey Morsell draws the foul)
0:43	+1	Casey Morsell makes regular free throw 1 of 3	53-58
0:43	+1	Casey Morsell makes regular free throw 2 of 3	54-58
0:43	+1	Casey Morsell makes regular free throw 3 of 3	55-58
0:22		Andrew Rohde misses three point jump shot
0:20		Casey Morsell defensive rebound
0:16		Wolfpack 30 second timeout
0:16		Cavaliers 30 second timeout
0:08		Casey Morsell misses three point jump shot
0:06		Isaac McKneely defensive rebound
0:05		Michael O'Connell personal foul
0:05		Isaac McKneely misses regular free throw 1 of 1
0:05		Casey Morsell defensive rebound
0:00	+3	Michael O'Connell makes three point jump shot	58-58
0:00		End of period

OT
NCST
Wolfpack
15
UVA
Cavaliers
7

Time		Play	Score
5:00		(Cavaliers gains possession)
4:44		Taine Murray misses three point jump shot
4:42		Ryan Dunn offensive rebound
4:27	+3	Isaac McKneely makes three point jump shot	58-61
4:07	+2	DJ Burns Jr. makes two point layup	60-61
3:35		Ryan Dunn misses three point jump shot
3:33		DJ Burns Jr. defensive rebound
3:11	+2	DJ Burns Jr. makes two point jump shot (Michael O'Connell assists)	62-61
2:51		Reece Beekman misses two point layup
2:49		Ryan Dunn offensive rebound
2:49	+2	Ryan Dunn makes two point dunk	62-63
2:30		Jordan Minor personal foul
2:28		Ryan Dunn blocks DJ Horne's two point layup
2:26		Mohamed Diarra offensive rebound
2:25	+2	Mohamed Diarra makes two point layup	64-63
2:02	+2	Ryan Dunn makes two point dunk (Isaac McKneely assists)	64-65
1:43	+2	DJ Burns Jr. makes two point layup	66-65
1:43		Jordan Minor shooting foul (DJ Burns Jr. draws the foul)
1:43	+1	DJ Burns Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 1	67-65
1:16		Reece Beekman misses two point jump shot
1:14		DJ Horne defensive rebound
0:50		Mohamed Diarra misses two point layup
0:48		Mohamed Diarra offensive rebound
0:45	+2	Michael O'Connell makes two point layup (DJ Horne assists)	69-65
0:45		Cavaliers 30 second timeout
0:45		TV timeout
0:29		Jacob Groves misses three point jump shot
0:27		Cavaliers offensive rebound
0:26		Isaac McKneely misses three point jump shot
0:24		Michael O'Connell defensive rebound
0:22		Taine Murray personal foul
0:21		Reece Beekman personal foul
0:21	+1	DJ Horne makes regular free throw 1 of 2	70-65
0:21	+1	DJ Horne makes regular free throw 2 of 2	71-65
0:14		Jacob Groves misses three point jump shot
0:12		Mohamed Diarra defensive rebound
0:10		Jacob Groves personal foul
0:10	+1	DJ Horne makes regular free throw 1 of 2	72-65
0:10	+1	DJ Horne makes regular free throw 2 of 2	73-65
0:06		Isaac McKneely misses three point jump shot
0:04		DJ Horne defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

DJ Horne defensive rebound