re: Another Look at the Game Winning Shot (In Pictures)

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I don't agree at all. It was meant to clear the paint so Grey could drive to the basket. He was doing it all day. Then he got doubled, then tripled. They did not want him driving. He found a last second wide open Hornsby.

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Exactly!! It was a great result that came from two good individual plays, but let's not act like it was some masterful design drawn up on the grease-board

It was LSU one and only end-of-game play. We seen it before. The only difference is that Gray gave it up this time.

1. Gray waited entirely too long to make his move. Even Len Elmore yelled "gotta go!" He's still standing well outside of the timeline with 6.0 seconds left.

2. TQ's motion brings his defender RIGHT INTO Gray. I doubt the plan was create an unnecessary double-team on Gray to cut off the lane. I guess, unless TQ getting himself in position for the ball to be kicked to him for a 28 footer at the buzzer was part of the play.

3. With Gray taking so long to initiate the play, even if he is able to split the (now) triple team he likely would not have had enough time to A. get in the lane and kick to Hornsby/Patterson for a shot or B. Get to the bucket before Harris can block the shot

What makes the play is Hornsby. He reads Qualls slightly drifting in to cut off Gray, and instead of stay put at the wing, he drifts into the corner to free himself for a look. He is the only guy on LSU's team that understands how to move without the basketball to get a good shot. He did EXACTLY that on a last seconds play that otherwise would have been a disaster.

Everyone notices Patterson's reaction. The reason is that the play was clearly set up for him. Gray should have never taken so long to make his move. It threw the timing off. The play was for him to get into the lane (as he had all game) and either A. get to the basket or B. suck Harris in for a kick to a wide open Patterson who was 6-8 from deep at that point. Gray got caught up in traffic on a poor play by him (waiting to long to initiate) and Hornsby's savvy bailed him out