March Madness: Top takeaways from the first day of the 2019 NCAA Tournament

7) I hated Belmont’s final possession

Belmont over Maryland was another popular upset pick on Thursday and it came oh so close to happening. The Bruins led by double digits, blew the lead, then had the ball in the final seconds with a chance to win.

Then that play above happened.

Belmont has run this play many times before at the end of games throughout head coach Rick Byrd’s tenure, and it won them a game against UCLA earlier this season.

I understand the play call but I also hate it given the situation.

For starters, the ball is not in Dylan Windler’s hands. He had been the best player on the court all game and, with your season on the line, I want a play where the ball is in his hands.

Secondly, they took way too much time off the clock before running it. Ideally, it works and you get a layup with less than a second left and you go into overtime. But Maryland had snuffed it out! They scout, too, and you can see that Windler was heavily defended. Even if that pass wasn’t deflected initially, it would have likely gotten stolen before getting to Windler.

That brings me to point No. 3 – there was/is no secondary option on the play! Again, season on the line and you need a basket against a team that spent a week scouting you. If they have your go-to play covered, then what? Belmont didn’t have a backup plan on the play.

They were banking on Maryland making a mistake they didn’t make rather than relying on their quality players to make a play, and their season is over because of it.