David Dupont Hits Buzzer-Beater On Senior Night, Gamblers Cry

I’m a sucker for neat moments and this was one of them. Typically, walk-ons get a token start on senior night, as tradition in college basketball dictates. They’ll play a couple of minutes and then head back to the bench -- a familiar spot for most of them. These are the players who are used as late-game subs in blowouts, but spend most of their time working as crash-test dummies and scout teamers in practice.

One such player is North Carolina senior walk-on David Dupont. As a junior, he didn’t score a point, but did finally get on the board earlier this season. He plays a couple of minutes in each appearance -- three or less -- and came into Wednesday’s game having scored seven career points. With UNC up big on Maryland on Wednesday night, Roy Williams rushed his seniors onto the floor for one last hurrah.

The game was already out of hand in UNC’s favor, so this didn’t matter much, but Dupont drained a deep three at the buzzer to end the game. It left the senior with a lasting memory to take from his time in Chapel Hill. The crowd exploded and it was just a fun thing to see as a bystander with no rooting interest in the game.

Of course, Maryland head coach Mark Turgeon wasn’t very happy with the shot.

Never mind that this was a walk-on who almost never sees the floor. It wasn’t as if UNC’s crop of All-Americans turned the end of the game into a dunk contest or that the Tar Heels were showboating. It was a senior on senior night putting up one last shot. There are no rules in this case, and telling him not to shoot it shouldn’t even be an option.

Even better? It also cost gamblers some money. You see, the over-under for the game was 151 combined points. Before Dupont’s shot, UNC led 85-64, for a total of 149 points. After the make, the under went by the wayside, but just barely.

Not a bad end to Dupont’s last game at home.