Covering as 6.5-point underdogs shouldn’t have even been an option for BYU after trailing by as much as 26 points in their West Coast Conference Tournament semifinal game Monday against BYU.
But as the final seconds of the game winded down, Cougars bettors were somehow in the green after a monster second-half surge cut the deficit to three with about 30 seconds left. The incredible backdoor cover was secured!
And then it wasn’t.
Saint Mary’s scored four straight points from there, and it was the very last cover-blowing point that was most heart-breaking. With the game all but decided, a BYU player fouled Saint Mary’s with less than a second left.
BYU fouls Saint Mary’s (-6.5) with 0.9 seconds left.
The Gaels would win by 7 and get the cover 😅 pic.twitter.com/VfxAYzZ2Jl
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) March 7, 2023
That extra free throw made the difference.
Adding to the heartbreak for BYU bettors is the missed free throw that led to the rebound and foul. It was third straight miss from the line for Atiki Ally. Had he made just one of them, the foul at the end wouldn’t have mattered.
