Western Kentucky pulled off a confusing last-second win over Alabama in a wild finish few in the arena understood in real time. Tied at 71 with seconds left, WKU’s number 4 drove to the rim and missed. His teammate, number 23, grabbed the rebound and put up a shot that got blocked. But because the first attempt hit the rim, the shot clock reset. The second shot clearly hit the glass before getting blocked, which made it a goaltend. The refs called it, but the scoreboard never changed, and the crowd stayed confused.
Alabama tried to run a final play thinking the game was still tied. Herbert Jones took it into the paint and missed with seven seconds left, and WKU dribbled out the clock. But they didn’t attack, likely because they knew they were already ahead after the goaltending call. Meanwhile, most of Alabama’s players and fans had no idea they were losing until the buzzer sounded. That included the broadcast crew, who were caught off guard trying to piece together what they’d just seen.
The ending had everything—players celebrating, fans yelling, and utter chaos in the stands. WKU fans and players started taunting, while Alabama supporters looked stunned. Some parents were seen dragging confused kids out of the arena, still thinking the game was tied. In the end, Western Kentucky left Tuscaloosa with the win and left Alabama fans with a lot of questions.