Pulling out victories can come in many different fashions, as the Miami Hurricanes were able to fend off the Pittsburgh Panthers in the closing seconds the game at the BankUnited Center, 65-63.
Pittsburgh, my hometown team led by veteran Head Coach Jamie Dixon, put up a tremendous fight on the court, never trailing by double digits. The game came down to who had the final possession, and it went to the Canes.
How the ball – after being juggled in the air and tipped around the rim after a missed three-pointer by redshirt senior Sheldon McClellan – got in the hoop with 1.4 seconds to go was not clear. It certainly appeared live that two Panthers tipped the ball in.
I got the opportunity to take in the action from center court, broadcasting the game for WVUM sports. Despite having one of the best seats in the house, I could not depict how the shot went in.
The game was something special for team captain Angel Rodriguez, someone who went through adversity to leave his home for a better life and opportunity.
He leaped behind two defenders and deflected the ball out of their reaching hands, knocking the ball home.
An interview on ESPNU capped off the Canes 19-4, 8-3 mark in the ACC as they beat Pitt by “A Touch of an Angel.”