March Madness: 15 Greatest Gus Johnson Moments (w/ video)
By Jacob Rude
3. “Ohhhh. AHHHHHHH!”
You want big shots? You want Gus screaming repeatedly? You want lots of free basketball? Find a replay of this game. 2010, Sweet 16, Kansas State versus Xavier, pitting Jordan Crawford and Terrell/Tu Holloway (58 combined points) against Jacob Pullen and Denis Clemente (53 combined points).
The moments were many. First Clemente has a four-point play with four minutes to go. Then Pullen buries a three with 23.6 seconds left to go up three. Then Holloway is fouled shooting a three-pointer with 5.0 seconds left and Xavier down three points. In the ultimate clutch moment, he buries all three and forces overtime.
Then Holloway starts chucking bombs in overtime, but Clemente and Pullen lead by three with time dwindling. It was at this point we would reach pinnacle Gus.
With the game clock winding down under 10 seconds and Xavier down three, Crawford catches the ball 40 feet from the rim, uses a screen to free himself, and chucks from 35-feet away. Nothing. But. Net.
Gus was left in a state of screaming, as was all of those watching, the shot forcing double overtime. The Law of Gus couldn’t save Xavier on this night, though, as Pullen was “in shape” enough to pull the Wildcats to victory.
Next: 2011 - Washington vs. Arizona