Butler basketball supporters on Thursday were given a lot to be thankful for on Thanksgiving. Northwestern hoops fans probably did not feel the same way.
Northwestern trailed Butler 70-67 with just nine seconds on the clock at Mullett Arena in Tempe, Ariz. Once Northwestern guard Brooks Barnhizer got past halfcourt, Butler looked intent on intentionally fouling to prevent a game-tying three-point shot attempt.
Barnhizer anticipated the foul call and launched a shot from near halfcourt exactly when Butler guard Jahmyl Telfort tried to foul. The crowd went berserk as Barnhizer’s shot went in. But the referees waved off the basket and just gave Barnhizer two free throws. He made both to cut the deficit to 70-69.
Every college basketball fan would lose their mind if this happened to their team.
Oh my god pic.twitter.com/ZYUpJHbKLL
— Alex Weber (@alexhweber) November 29, 2024
Northwestern caught a break when Butler big man Boden Kapke split his free throws, giving the Wildcats another crack at a clutch shot without the threat of an intentional foul.
With just a few seconds left and Northwestern down two, Barnhizer went the full length of the floor for a layup attempt that dramatically stayed out. Junior Nick Martinelli followed up with a tip-in that seemed to touch every part of the rim before cruelly sliding off.
BALL SPINS ALL AROUND THE RIM, AS BUTLER SURVIVES NORTHWESTERN 🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/OFoj5ekcoC
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) November 29, 2024
Barnhizer finished with a game-high 24 points on 7/15 shooting to go along with 7 rebounds. Despite Northwestern getting a couple of chances late, Butler just barely held on for their own version of a Thanksgiving miracle.
