Скачать или смотреть Relive the bizarre finish to Texas vs Providence: The Horn Game - 2004

This was one of the more infuriating & controversial losses in Providence College hoops history. Did the shot beat the buzzer? Was the light on? Did the horn sound?

In the end, after several agonizing minutes of frenzied discussion, the officials ruled the shot was good, sending Texas on to an insane win over Providence. For the nearly 13,000 Friar fans in attendance this loss would go down as one of the most unkind in school history. Ouch!

Listen in as the ESPN broadcast team of Bill Raftery, Jay Bilas & Sean McDonough discuss what’s happening. Also in the house during the game were legendary Friar coaches Dave Gavitt & Rick Pitino. Meanwhile, Texas was coached by another former PC coach, Rick Barnes. A wild scene in Providence at the Civic Center.

Providence beaten by controversial buzzer-beater

BY PETER GOBIS/SUN CHRONICLE STAFF Jan 6, 2004

PROVIDENCE — “ The ball was definitely out of his hand before the red light came on,” said Texas basketball coach Rick Barnes.

“ There's no dispute about that, the ball was in his hand when the clock read triple-zero (0:00) — I don't know how lower you can go than that,” said Providence College basketball coach Tim Welsh.

“ Three seconds is a lot of time to get a good shot off, whatever (shot) was open I was going to take — I don't know if it was good or not,” said Longhorn freshman guard P.J. Tucker, who made a three-quarter court drive and layup in overtime.

And after eight video replays from the ESPN-TV monitors, replays from a side angle and a seven-minute discussion among three Big East Conference based officials, Providence native Tim Higgins ruled the basket good and Texas was a 79-77 winner in one of the wildest collegiate basketball games in years, surely another historic chapter in the fabled history of Friar basketball.

PC trailed by as many as 21 points (32-11) in the first half as a result of not making a shot from the floor for the first 13:22 in the battle of nationally ranked teams before a nationally televised audience.

The Friars used 20 first-half free throws to cut the deficit to 41-33 at intermission, and then used a run of 12 straight points to take a 74-71 lead with 30.7 seconds left in regulation time.

They also used a three-point field goal by Donnie McGrath with 3.7 seconds left in overtime to knot the score at 77-all.

“ I feel like death right now,” said Welsh of the aftermath, which had 12,993 patrons on their feet watching the three Big East officials (also John Clougherty and Bob Donato) and Big East assistant commissioner Rob Carolla rolling the video.

“ We thought that it would go another five (minutes of overtime),” added Welsh. “ One ref told me that it was no good, then I looked up and it was a heated four-way (with Barnes and the officials) conversation — and they changed their minds.”

Tucker took the inbounds pass and bypassed the Friars' defensive pressure, dribbling behind his back to catch PC's Dwight Brewington leaning the other way. Then Tucker continued to drive to the basket and Friar center Marcus Douthit, afraid to foul, did not contest his access to the basket.

“ We were playing soft man-to-man,” said Welsh. “ We wanted to pressure up and contain the ball, but they got by us and the help didn't come up quick enough. We got our assignments mixed up.”

And Tucker then lofted a finger-roll of a layup as the clock clicked to 0:00 and before the red light came on and buzzer sounded.

“ By rule, any basket at the buzzer had to be reviewed,” said Higgins in a prepared statement. “ The first eight times we watched it we couldn't see the light go off because of the ball and three zeros does not end a game, the light does. We finally saw a side view and after 10, 15 times it was clear the ball was out of his hand at the light.”