East Carolina's Bobby Pettiford hit a 3-pointer from beyond half court to beat the buzzer and give the Pirates an 85-84 victory vs. Kennesaw State on Tuesday .
With 2.5 seconds remaining in regulation, Kennesaw State sunk a bunny at the rim to break an 82-all tie to go up 84-82 on the road and seemingly put a back-and-forth game to bed for the night. Pettiford had other ideas.
With time running down off the KSU make, Pettiford fielded the inbounds pass, dribbled twice up the floor and heaved a prayer from the bottom left side of half court -- just below ECU's monstrous skull and crossbones logo at midcourt. The heave fell right into the basket off the back of the iron. The shot lifted ECU to an improbable victory after trailing for most of the game and sent the home crowd in Greenville, North Carolina, into bedlam.
.@BobbyPettiford CALLED GAME pic.twitter.com/oEe8j7f96o
— East Carolina Men’s Basketball (@ecubasketball) November 22, 2023
Oh, what's that? You need another angle, you say? I agree. It was so nice we have to see it at least twice. Check out this alternative angle, which shows perfectly the agony of defeat and the elation of (rather dramatic) victory.
UNREAL SCENE IN MINGES @BobbyPettiford pic.twitter.com/knsmJd4AFT
— East Carolina Men’s Basketball (@ecubasketball) November 22, 2023
A former four-star recruit, Pettiford, who began his career at Kansas, finished with a career-high 18 points in the win to help the Pirates improve to 4-2 on the year.
