In the first round of the 2024 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament on Friday, No. 10 Colorado stuns No. 7 Florida with a dramatic 102-100 win.
COLORADO HITS WILD GAME WINNER TO ELIMINATE FLORIDA 🤯 pic.twitter.com/NntGSoGBAq
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 22, 2024
Colorado’s win in the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball came with a two-pointer from K.J. Simpson that took its time along the rim before going through the hoop.
COLORADO HOLDS ON AGAINST FLORIDA! 🤯
WHAT A FINISH IN INDY!#MarchMadness @CUBuffsMBB pic.twitter.com/8XrT63AU2t
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 22, 2024
Simpson sunk a game-winner in the final seconds r after receiving the inbounds pass, and it takes one large bounce and then several small caroms before finally settling into the netting.
Florida attempted a comeback, but Colorado stole the upset win 102-100 with Simpsonn jumper that rattled around the rim before netting. An epic game-winner in March Madness having similarities to a legendary game-winner in the NBA postseason.
KJ SIMPSON WITH THE KAWHI GAME WINNER AT THE BUZZER 🤯
COLORADO (-110 ML) WINSpic.twitter.com/7d6KtqWU47
— FanDuel Sportsbook (@FDSportsbook) March 22, 2024
As witnessed, the shot had similarities to Kawhi Leonard’s game-winning shot for the Toronto Raptors against the Philadelphia 76ers in 2019 during Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semi-finals.
Play-by-play announcer Kevin Harlan who was also notably on both games had a similarly epic call to Leonard’s legendary shot. Though Simpson’s shot didn’t jump quite as high as Leonard’s shot, it had a similar sense of anticipation.
Simpson finished with a team-leading 23 points, while Eddie Lampkin Jr. added 21 for Colorado (26-10), advancing to the second round of the South Region.
Colorado will be facing against the two-seed Marquette, who had entered halftime of its first-round matchup against Western Kentucky down 43-36 before finally pulling ahead to win.
Colorado shoots 60% as a team from the field and from 3-point range. Simpson and Tristan da Silva lead the Buffs with nine points apiece.
