North Alabama’s K.J. Johnson got sweet revenge on Lipscomb with college basketball’s first true buzzer-beater in the Atlantic Sun quarterfinals. (Diazepam)
The heavily contested running one-handed floater from just inside the top of the key propelled sixth-seeded North Alabama (15-16) to a dramatic 77-75 victory over third-seeded Lipscomb (20-12) on Tuesday night.
The game had seen its fair share of twists and turns, with North Alabama enjoying a double-digit lead in the first half before Lipscomb launched a spirited comeback.
The score was tied, and with a mere 4.3 seconds remaining, Johnson caught an inbound pass in the backcourt, deftly attacked off the dribble, and sank the game-winning shot before Lipscomb could set its defense.
The victory not only advances North Alabama in the Atlantic Sun tournament but also serves as a measure of payback for Johnson, who spent the first three years of his college career at Lipscomb.
North Alabama’s March Madness Dreams
Transferring after his junior year due to a dip in performance, Johnson found a new home at North Alabama, becoming a vital part of the program’s rise to respectability. The fifth-year senior has been a consistent starter and is the team’s second-leading scorer this season.
Now, North Alabama stands just two wins away from a historic first NCAA tournament bid in the program’s relatively short six-year Division I history.
In the Atlantic Sun semifinals, they will face off against second-seeded Stetson on Thursday, with the prospect of a title game against either fourth-seeded Austin Peay or 10th-seeded Jacksonville three nights later.
The unlikely journey seems more plausible following Johnson’s thunderbolt of a buzzer-beater, even though the odds may still appear stacked against Alabama.
With March Madness looming just twelve days before Selection Sunday, college basketball enthusiasts are already witnessing the madness unfold in a tournament filled with unpredictability and thrilling moments.
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