Yahoo News One Player's Awful Mistake Causes Some Real March Madness For His Coach
If you play sports long enough, you’ll commit a mental error to remember.
Unfortunately for Kent State’s Julius Rollins, it happened on national TV Saturday, with his team this close to clinching an NCAA tournament bid. (Watch the video below.)
Kent State got a tip-in by Cli’Ron Hornbeak to move ahead 61-60 over Akron in the Mid-American Conference championship with six seconds to go.
But Rollins intentionally fouled Akron’s Greg Tribble in the backcourt to send him to the free throw line with 4.8 left ― prompting red-faced shock from Kent State coach Rob Senderoff.
(8) Kent State’s Julius Rollins forgets the situation and FOULS UP 1 WITH 4.8 left and gives Akron the lead back in the MAC Championship. WHAT ARE YOU DOING MAN?!!! (video via @cjzero) pic.twitter.com/sJmVgJRL8u
— NCAA Buzzer Beaters & Game Winners (@NCAABuzzerBters) March 17, 2024
Tribble sank both free throws, and Akron secured the 62-61 victory and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
“What a great game, but what a horrible, tough way to lose,” Senderoff told The Associated Press afterward. “As I told the team, I should have called a timeout. I don’t blame Julius. There’s 100 plays in the game and that was just one of them.”
The coach tried to keep the deflating moment in perspective. “The sun will come up tomorrow,” he said. “It’ll be a little cloudy for me and my guys.”
On the foul that led to Tribble’s free throws, Kent State’s Rob Senderoff is adamant Julius Rollins should not be blamed for tonight’s loss.
He admits Rollins probably didn’t know the score situation when he committed the foul, but he stood up for his player. @wkycpic.twitter.com/crqwMGyuGz— Tyler Carey (@TC_CLE) March 17, 2024
CBS basketball analyst Seth Davis expressed sympathy for Rollins in a post on X, formerly Twitter, after the game.
“Sports are cruel sometimes,” he wrote.
I am sick for Julius Rollins. Kent State made a bucket to go up one with 4.8 to play but he thought they were down one and committed a foul. Two free throws later, Akron, not Kent State, is going dancing.
Sports are cruel sometimes.— Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) March 17, 2024
If it’s any consolation to Kent State, Akron is seeded 14th in its region, and isn’t likely to beat No. 3-seeded Creighton in their first-round game of March Madness.
