Eric Musselman received all kinds of praise for leading Nevada to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, but he sure screwed up at the end of Thursday’s game against Loyola Chicago.
Nevada’s Cody Martin made two free throws with 36.1 seconds left to bring the Wolf Pack within one of the Ramblers, down 66-65. Loyola Chicago then brought the ball up and had a possession while up one. Instead of instructing his team to foul and put the Ramblers at the line where the game would have been assured to stay as a one-possession contest, Nevada’s Musselman allowed Loyola Chicago to play things out.
Loyola Chicago’s Marques Townes ended up draining a three-pointer with six seconds left to make it a four-point game.
Marques Townes pic.twitter.com/jkJskSZT2C
— ⓂarcusD (@_MarcusD2_) March 23, 2018
Even though Caleb Martin sank a three to make it 69-68, there was too little time left for the Wolf Pack to make a comeback.
We had just been over this same situation last weekend and praised Jim Boeheim for playing it correctly with his strategy. Not putting Loyola Chicago on the free throw line to extend the game cost the Wolf Pack.
