Sports

South Carolina State Loses Basketball Championship On Awful Brain Fart With Foul In Final Seconds Of Tie Game

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South Carolina State basketball foul
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South Carolina State came one point short of the NCAA Tournament with a loss to Norfolk State in the MEAC Championship on Saturday. The Bulldogs committed a gut-wrenching intentional foul during a tie college basketball game with less than 10 seconds remaining.

It was a brain fart that will haunt them for a very, very long time.

As is often the case with mid-major college basketball, the Spartans actually trailed by nine at halftime. They battled all of the way back to tie the game at 47 with just over 10 minutes left in the second half. Both teams traded buckets during the remainder of regulation, which leads us to the final possessions.

Norfolk State, up by two, turned the ball over on an inbounds pass with 12 seconds to go. S.C. State went right up with a layup to tie the game at 65. It was a tie game. Neither team had a timeout.

If things were to go according to plan, the Bulldogs would set up on the defensive end to try and force overtime or to get a steal and win the game at the buzzer. Either way, they were not in position to foul.

Unfortunately, junior Caleb McCarty did exactly that. He committed an intentional foul to send the Spartans to the charity stripe. It was a massive blunder. His teammates had to console him.

Norfolk State was able to capitalize on the costly brain fart and went on to win the MEAC. Christian Ings made the first of two free throws to give the No. 1 seed a one-point lead but he missed the second.

The miss did not matter. South Carolina State could not pull off a miracle on the next possession and could not beat the buzzer as time expired to lose. It was heartbreaking.

Although McCarty’s foul proved to be the difference, we don’t know for sure that the Spartans wouldn’t have made a deep triple or knocked down a late two to win the game as time expired. No one person can be blamed for a loss. The Bulldogs were up by nine at halftime and let their opponent back in it.

With that being said, McCarty is the scapegoat. His foul, which was completely unnecessary and ill-advised, cost S.C. State the game. You have to feel for the young man. I certainly do.

Part of the blame should fall on the coaching staff. Every player on the court should’ve been made aware of the situation and told not to foul under any circumstances. McCarty just forgot.