It’s hard to know which is the bigger upset in the men’s Big East tournament on Wednesday night.
No. 10 seed DePaul shocking No. 7 Seton Hall (-5.5) or a referee crew making the correct, game-deciding call as time expired in Madison Square Garden.
The Blue Demons (3-17 in the Big East this year) picked up their fifth ever victory in the conference tournament with a 66-65 win that ended with DePaul’s Nick Ongenda sprinting to the hoop from halfcourt to make a game-winning block on Femi Odukale.
DEPAUL GETS THE BLOCK AND WINS! pic.twitter.com/U4GN1QuAu8
— BIG EAST MBB (@BIGEASTMBB) March 9, 2023
After further review, the call was ruled a block and @DePaulHoops advances to the @BIGEASTMBB Quarterfinals! 😤 pic.twitter.com/igeGl11CCc
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) March 9, 2023
Officials initially signaled for goaltending on the play —a wild moment in itself — but the refs reversed the call following very quick review. And it was absolutely the right move since the ball was still on its way up and not over the cylinder.
But how the game got to this point is just as dramatic.
DePaul had numerous chances to tie or take the lead with less than a minute remaining and couldn’t capitalize on any of them.
What. Just. Happened.pic.twitter.com/WjaI1xDodO
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) March 9, 2023
The very next play after the jump ball:
DePaul with this close to making it a tie game 😅 pic.twitter.com/UR9kaff5Ys
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) March 9, 2023
Seton Hall would hit two free throws after the foul to extend the lead to four only for DePaul to hit a layup with six seconds remaining right after.
That’s when it all fell apart for the Pirates.
Jalen Terry stole the ball from Odukale and was fouled shooting a three-pointer with four seconds left. He hit all three shots from the foul line to set up Ongenda’s block.
“I knew it was a block,” Ongenda told the FS1 broadcast. “I knew it. That’s what I do. I block everything.”
He’s not joking. The senior finished with four rejections on the night. None bigger than the play he made as time expired. Legendary broadcaster Bill Raftery was on the call and said he’d never seen a game end like this one.
a very @DePaulHoops mood pic.twitter.com/xAFWXmLALf
— BIG EAST MBB (@BIGEASTMBB) March 9, 2023
Only in March.
