Nelson University only defeated the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (USAO) by one point during the college basketball postseason on Wednesday night. However, it appeared as though the Drovers pulled a massive upset over the Lions on an epic buzzer-beater that ultimately did not count.
The exhilarating ending to the first round of the Sooner Athletic Conference tournament brought forth attention to a very important rule for late-game situations.
Officials made the right call even though the ruling spoiled an exhilarating end to the college basketball game. It was not exciting but it was correct.
USAO hit a buzzer-beater to beat Nelson… but it did not count.
The University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma is a public liberal arts college in Chickasha, Oklahoma. USAO enrolls approximately 1,000 students. Its athletic programs compete on the NAIA level of competition in the Sooner Athletic Conference. The Drovers finished the men’s college basketball season at 11-18 to earn the No. 8 seed in the conference tournament.
Nelson University is a private Christian university in Waxahachie, Texas. It enrolls approximately 1,700 students. Its athletics programs also compete in the SAC. The Lions finished the regular season at 17-11 to earn the top seed in the conference tournament.
These two programs met in the first round of the postseason on Wednesday night.
The game was tied at 87 with less than 10 second remaining. Officials called a loose ball foul on USAO. JJ Boling split a pair of free throws with 0.3 seconds left on the clock to give Nelson an 88-87 lead.
The Drovers needed a miracle and it appeared as though they got one. Brett Nix drained a Hail Mary shot from the opposing free-throw line following a quick inbound pass to give his team the win. Or so it seemed.
The basket was waved off upon further review.
College basketball referees actually made the right call.
USAO thought it won the game. Nelson was declared the winner. Here is how it went down in real time:
‼️THE DROVERS WERE ROBBED ‼️
— Oklahoma Local Sports Network (@OklahomaLocalSN) February 25, 2026
0.3 seconds remaining, full court shot… Refs claim he didn’t get it off in time.
INVESTIGATE 🚨 https://t.co/JNaT6PZDmp pic.twitter.com/uOAz0WpahL
Drovers wing Mohand Ammad does not agree with the decision.
“We got robbed…”
Assistant coach Tyler Cauley echoes his thoughts!
“HIGHWAY ROBBERY!!! BIGGEST ROBBERY IN THE NAIA ALL YEAR!
Ammad also pointed to the shot clock, which appeared to show 0.1 seconds when the shot left Nix’s hand. He called for an investigation.
Look at the shot clock ,0.1 seconds went the shoot went off his hand .
— Mohand Ammad 🇫🇷🇩🇿 (@AmmadMohand) February 25, 2026
Gotta be a way to investigate this …
End of the season for us on this … pic.twitter.com/VSqQ31g6qQ
Here is where things get murky. In college basketball, on all levels, a player cannot perform a “catch-and-shoot” with 0.3 seconds or less remaining on the clock. Only a tap-in or direct dunk is possible. There must be 0.4 seconds or more remaining on the clock for a catch-and-shoot to count.
“Art. 19. In any period, when the game clock or shot clock displays 10ths of seconds and play is to be resumed by a throw-in or a free throw when 3/10ths (.3) of a second or less remains on the game clock or shot clock, a player may not gain control of the ball and attempt a try for a field goal. Such player can only score a field goal by means of a tap of a pass or of a missed free throw.”
Thus, by rule, USAO did not have enough time to hit the buzzer-beater. The Drovers were not robbed.