College Park, Maryland – Treroman had not reached the “M” logo on the midcourt.
For some reason, it lined up before dropping the hoops with echoing swishes across the Big Ten.
If Michigan State and coach Tom Izzo win yet another meeting title, Holloman’s buzzer beater may be the reason.
“Every day, at home, the night before a game, the last practice, we have everyone go round. Everyone takes shots on a half court shot. The last two games, Trae, made two games. “When it left, I thought it had it. I really did it.”
The Spartans may practice shooting from the midcourt, but when Holloman left the ground with the winner of this game, he was approaching his 3-point line – about 65 feet from the hoop. The shot gave No. 8 Michigan a 58-55 victory in 16th Maryland, and also took a half-game lead in Michigan with the Big Ten. It was a sensational finish in a game with high intensity but less artistic quality.
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“We felt we deserved to win the game,” Izo said. “I don’t think it was a lucky shot at the end. I thought we played basketball inspired by it.”
In the 32nd rounds of the 2010 NCAA Tournament, Colly Lucious was the buzzer beater who won his first game in Michigan as he hit three to three in 32 rounds against Maryland.
Had the game been working overtime, Holloman would have been primarily responsible. The Spartan rose twice, so the pass in the backcourt was intercepted, and he soon fouled Jacobi Gillespie. He tied it with 55 with two free throws in 42.1 seconds.
Gillespie missed the 3 pointer, but there was plenty of time for Kohler to rebound the ball and flip. Holloman was 3-for-3 from the field at that point, two from the field and three-point range.
“Hollomann wasn’t doing shots all night, so when he released it, I knew it was in,” Maryland coach Kevin Willard said.
Willard wasn’t that hard for Gillespie after missing out on three Michigan time that left Michigan three for the final Heave.
“Maybe he won’t get an open look if he’s waiting. I trust Kobi. He’s been fine all year round,” Willard said. “At the end of the day, the child still had to hit 60 footers to beat you. Yes, yes, do you want him to take the final shot?
For Holloman, filming from Midcourt was a chance to prove that it wasn’t a way to practice stupidity.
“I knew it was good,” Holloman said. “We practice them.”
And when did it come in?
“I remember zero and we’re raising us.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
