Underdog UMBC falls to Kansas State 50-43

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Barry Brown scored 18 points, and Kansas State ended UMBC’s brief, but historic run in the NCAA Tournament with a 50-43 victory on Sunday night.

UMBC became the first 16 seed to beat a No. 1, destroying top-ranked Virginia 74-54 on Friday night. After pulling off the biggest upset in college basketball history, the Retrievers ran out of magic against the Wildcats.

As UMBC coach Ryan Odom emptied his bench with 9.4 seconds left, the crowd gave the Retrievers a standing ovation. The players hugged at midcourt. After the game ended, players walked over to the side of the court and gave their fans an appreciative wave.

The dream had ended.

The Wildcats (24-11) move on to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2010 when they lost in the Elite Eight to Butler. They will face Kentucky on Thursday night.

UMBC had only had two field goals in the final six minutes and shot just 29.8 percent for the game.

UMBC’s scrappy defense forced 18 turnovers, but managed just three points off those. They finished 6 of 22 from 3-point range two nights after lighting up Virginia. And 9 of 18 from the free throw line.

UMBC (25-11) had a chance to take the lead with 5 minutes remaining, but Arkel Lamar was stripped of the ball on a drive to the lane and Xavier Sneed took the ball the length of the floor for a two-handed dunk.

Brown then hit a fall-away jumper.

Sneed, who had eight points, had a monster dunk off an offensive rebound and later knocked down a baseline jumper with a minute left to push the lead to five. Makol Mawien added a dunk on a fastbreak to seal the victory with 45 seconds left.

The Retrievers showed no sign of a letdown early on, jumping out to a 7-0 lead after Kansas State missed its first eight shots – five of those from beyond the arc.

Kansas State didn’t score until the 13:40 mark of the first half, but the Wildcats closed the half on a 17-8 run and led 25-20 at the break despite going 0 for 8 from 3-point range.