One of the Horizon League’s best interior defenders had a brain fart during the biggest 3.3 seconds of the season, and because of that Oakland is heading to the NIT.
No. 9 seed Youngstown State had the ball with one last chance to upset the top-seeded Golden Grizzlies in Saturday’s Horizon League quarterfinals, and the Penguins gave the ball to leading scorer Cameron Morse on the left wing.
When Isaiah Brock, who averaged 2.1 blocks with a 90 defensive rating, wandered up toward the left elbow, Morse rifled a pass to Jorden Kaufman who was left wide open on the right side of the rim.
Here’s the play.
Youngstown State just upset No 1 seed Oakland in the Horizon semis on this beautiful play. pic.twitter.com/3xVL79pr2s
— Rob Dauster (@RobDauster) March 5, 2017
And here’s another angle from the sideline.
Here’s Jorden Kaufman’s game-winning layup against top-seeded Oakland, 81-80 @YSUsports @HorizonLeague #MotorCityMadness pic.twitter.com/aHyPc2hmtN
— YSU Men’s Basketball (@YSUMensHoops) March 5, 2017
Oakland was a 13.5-point favorite.
Kaufman finished with a career-high 22 points and 10 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the year while Morse carried the Penguins with 34 points, 7 boards and 5 assists.
Youngstown State advances to Monday’s semifinals, where it will face the winner of Northern Kentucky vs. Wright State.
Oakland, meanwhile, will go to the NIT as an automatic bid by virtue of winning the regular season Horizon League title.
