Vanderbilt and Nebraska played the most thrilling game of the 2026 men’s NCAA tournament on Saturday night with a Sweet 16 berth on the line. The final two minutes had four lead changes with both sides hitting big shots that felt like they swung the tide of the game. Nebraska took the lead for good on an acrobatic layup by freshman star Brendan Frager with two seconds left. Vanderbilt had one last chance, but Tyler Tanner’s heave from beyond halfcourt went in-and-out.
March Madness’ overinflated balls may have made halfcourt buzzer-beater bounce out in Nebraska-Vanderbilt
Did March Madness’ overinflated basketballs cost Vanderbilt a historic game-winner vs. Nebraska?
Ricky O'Donnell has covered basketball at all levels for more than a decade at SB Nation. He’s currently the Associate Director of Programming.
Watch Tanner’s last second shot here. This came so so so close to winning the game for Vanderbilt at the buzzer.
This freeze frame is even wilder. Tanner’s shot was in the damn basket. Somehow, it bounced out.
There’s a popular conspiracy theory for why Tanner’s shot didn’t drop, and it goes back to one of the tournament’s ongoing controversies so far.
The balls have been overinflated during March Madness, and players have been talking it since they arrived at the regionals. This has been happening for at least the last few years during the tournament, and it takes a major adjustment from players who are used to the ball feeling a certain way.
Just look at how high these balls are bouncing:
Virginia star Thijs De Ridder said “that game ball was just a balloon.” Iowa star Bennett Stirtz described the balls as “super aired up.”
There’s no doubt that the NCAA tournament balls are more inflated than the typical game ball used during the season. Is that why Tanner’s shot didn’t go in? There’s a lot of people who believe it. Even Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg acknowledged Tanner’s shot may have rimmed out due to the inflation level of the ball.
And here’s some online reaction:
In fairness, no one as talking about the inflated balls when Kentucky’s Otega Oweh made a near halfcourt buzzer-beater to stun Santa Clara in the first round. Then again, the balls in the Oklahoma City regional where Vanderbilt and Nebraska played were reportedly bouncier than other locations.
We’ll never know if Tanner’s shot would have dropped if the ball was inflated at its normal level. It would have been one of the greatest shots in NCAA tournament history if it went in, but instead it becomes the biggest “what if” moment of this tournament so far.
Nebraska had never won a men’s NCAA tournament game before this year. When March rewards one side, it’s cruel to the other. That’s why this is the best postseason on Earth.
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