How exciting was that.   Stephen F Austin looked like they were going to make sure another Cinderella advanced to the Sweet 16, as they went on an 8-0 run to take a 75-70 lead.

Demetrius Jackson hit a layup with a minute and a half to play to cut the lead to 3 points, and then cut the lead to 1 with two FTs as he was fouled on a drive.   Then, potentially, the most important moment happened.  The Irish brought in reserve guard Rex Pflueger to play defense.

The Irish did manage to stop the Lumberjacks from scoring and got the ball with 15 seconds to try to win.  Demetrius Jackson drove to the basket and shot up a wild shot that missed.  But Zach Auguste kept it alive by getting the offense rebound, but his layup also ends up short.   And with 1 second left on the clock, the defensive specialist that plays only 13.9 minutes and averages 2.5 points per game, tips the ball up and watches it go in to be the hero for the Irish.

The Lumberjacks got off one last half court prayer, but it did not go in, and cruelly, the clock struck midnight on the Cinderella Lumberjacks.  Kudos to Stephen F Austin for a fantastic game and a fantastic season – but the congratulations go to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish for not giving up when the game was slipping away from them (not to mention give the ACC their 5th Sweet 16 team).  And as March manages to do, Rex Pflueger becomes another unlikely hero who has saved his team’s season with a last second basket to allow them to survive and advance.