Memorable Moment No. 5: Valpo's Drew sinks Ole Miss
No. 5: Bryce Drew's shot against Ole Miss
Nearly nine years later, the highlight is still being shown on CBS. Turn on your television this weekend, watch college hoops. It'll pop up in a commercial featuring a happy Valparaiso fan and unhappy Ole Miss fan.
Just like back in 1998.
The Rebels were seeded fourth in the Midwest Region and paired against 13th-seed Valpo. They led by two points with 2.5 seconds remaining, which seemed comfortable considering the Crusaders had the ball 94 feet away under their own basket. But then somebody called for a play called "Pacer."
Not good, if you're Ole Miss.
Jamie Sykes took the ball from the official and launched a long pass to Bill Jenkins, who was positioned just in front of the top of the key at the other end. Jenkins immediately passed it to a streaking Bryce Drew, who caught it, launched it, sank it and dove to the floor where he was covered in the most heterosexual pile of men you've ever seen.
Valpo, 70, Ole Miss 69.
Just like that Drew's place in college basketball history was cemented -- evidence being how if you go to Wikipedia and merely type "The Shot" into a search the Valpo game winner will pop right up.
OK, that's not exactly true. It's actually the fourth thing that pops up, just behind Christian Laettner's shot (we'll probably get to that one later in this series, by the way) and a couple of Michael Jordan game winners from the NBA Playoffs. But fourth behind Laettner and two Jordans isn't bad, particularly for a coaches' son playing at a small private school in Indiana.
One final note: What many don't remember about this play is that it should've never happened, and I mean never. With 4.1 seconds remaining and that 69-67 lead, Ole Miss star Ansu Sesay was at the free-throw line for two shots.
If he makes one, Drew's shot only forces overtime. He makes both, Drew's shot is totally inconsequential.
But Sesay missed both. So Ole Miss lost. And Drew is a legend.
The lesson?
As always, practice your free throws, kids.
