DAYTON, OHIO — The arena was half-empty and the cable network was ready to go to its monster truck show. The play-in game that no one wanted needed something to make it memorable.
Josh Hancock gave the final minute an NCAA Tournament feel.
Northwestern State forward Chris Thompson, left, and guard Josh Hancock, right, fight for a loose ball with Winthrop forward Marcus Stewart. The Demons won the NCAA Tournament play-in game, 71-67, Tuesday in Dayton, Ohio.
Hancock hit a three-pointer with 1 minute left Tuesday night, setting up a 71-67 victory over Winthrop that packed all of its drama into the final minutes.
"When we got here, we weren't used to all the lights," guard Michael Byars-Dawson said, celebrating the Demons' first NCAA Tournament win. "We weren't even used to flying. We didn't want to come here for just one game."
Northwestern State (19-12) earned another game that amounts to the toughest challenge ever for a No. 16 seed. The Southland Conference champions have only two days to get ready for No. 1 Illinois, a formidable team with a pronounced size advantage.
A 16th seed has never beaten a No. 1 since the tournament adopted its current format in 1985. In those 64 games pitting Nos. 1 and 16, the underdog has lost by an average of 25 points.
"We've made history already by playing this game," Byars-Dawson said. "Why can't we make more history?"
The NCAA went to the play-in format for the first time in 10 years and wound up with a game that lacked the feel of a tournament game until the final, tense minute.
Hancock, who won two other games for the Demons with last-minute baskets this season, put them in control with his 3 from the right corner as the shot clock ran down and the game clock hit 1:00.
"I feel comfortable when I shoot," said Hancock, who made only two of his six three-point tries. "I wasn't shooting well during the game, but at that time it went in."
Winthrop (18-13), the Big South representative, made 11-of-20 three-point tries, but Tywan Harris missed a pair of them in the final minute and the Demons hit their free throws to hold on.
"It's a very bitter taste in our mouths," said coach Gregg Marshall, who is 0-3 in NCAA tournament games. "The 3 (by Hancock) was a tremendous shot, and we had one roll out at the other end."
To get the crack at Illinois, the play-in teams had to overcome two days of hectic travel, little sleep and disappointment over getting sent to the tournament's pseudo-opener.
Neither had time to rest or prepare for the game, and it showed. There were double dribbles and blown alley-oops, shots off the side of the backboard and one too-hard jumper that actually went over the backboard, slamming off the front of the shot clock above it.
The crowd of 6,813 wasn't into it, either. Dozens got up and headed for the exits when Hancock hit his three-pointer, missing the game's tense finish.
Although the NCAA dubbed it an opening-round game, the play-in had less emotion and television exposure than the teams' conference title games.
CBS, which owns rights to the tournament, aired "JAG" and "60 Minutes II" rather than the first 40 minutes of the tournament. Television commentator Rick Pitino wore a dark CBS blazer at midcourt for his pregame remarks, but held a TNN microphone.
Viewers had to find the game on TNN, sandwiched between "Martial Law" and a monster truck show.
Most of the fans wore Flyers sweatshirts and sat with their arms folded. A few dozen Demon and Eagle fans behind the benches had to provide the noise.
There was a round of sympathy applause when Northwestern State's Chris Lynch couldn't complete an uncontested alley-oop dunk, losing the ball as he tumbled to the floor.
It went that way throughout the first half, which featured five ties and six lead changes.
Chris Thompson led Northwestern State with a game-high 18 points.
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