Can an incredible buzzer-beater in the 2017 NCAA Tournament make up for being on the wrong end of one 19 years earlier? For Florida head coach Mike White, it sure as hell can. On Friday night in the Sweet 16, Florida’s Chris Chiozza hit an unbelievable game-winning, buzzer-beater three to beat the No. 7 Wisconsin Badgers 84-83 in overtime.
Florida’s Chris Chiozza made up for Mike White being on the wrong end of a buzzer-beater
This is why sports are just the best.
Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
This sent Florida to its first Elite Eight since 2014, and it’ll be White’s first appearance there as a head coach. The best part about all this though, is that Chiozza’s buzzer-beater served as redemption for one that White was on the wrong end of, where Wisconsin was left standing on Friday night.
Let’s go back to the year 1998, when White was a starting guard Ole Miss. This was the year that the No. 4-seeded Rebels team was upset by No. 13 Valparaiso in the 1998 NCAA tournament’s opening round. Valpo’s Bryce Drew had the game-winning shot.
So does Chiozza’s buzzer-beater make up for the 1998 heartbreak for White? “Hell yes,” the second-year Florida head coach said Friday night after the game.
“Hell yeah,” White said via USA Today. “Yeah. With an emphasis on the hell. Yeah. Absolutely. What a neat game to be a part of, especially when you’re on the winning end. Yeah, you feel terrible — I feel terrible shaking (Wisconsin coach) Greg (Gard)‘s hand — it’s heart breaking.”
Shoutout to Chiozza’s miraculous play that ended up providing some redemption for White nearly 20 years later. Aren’t sports just the greatest?
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