Jahmai Mashack pulled up and uncorked a shot from around the same spot.
Nearly 20 years after Chris Lofton buried the 3-pointer over the out-stretched hand of Kevin Durant to force overtime and beat Texas, Mashack made his own memory to finish off a similar script.
TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM
His three from that legendary spot on the floor, just off the side of the logo, rattled around the basket as the buzzer sounded, fell through and pandemonium reigned inside Food City Center Saturday.
Fifth-ranked Tennessee had beaten No. 6 Alabama, 79-76 after all hope had seemed lost 30 seconds before, took another step towards the program's first-ever No. 1 seed and did it with a play that will live on in Vols' basketball lore.
Rick Barnes was there for both.
"I’ve been on that side before, where somebody throws it up," Barnes said.
Barnes didn't see this one. He was pleading with an official for a timeout as Mashack's shot went in. He was still irate as the bench behind him cleared and mobbed Mashack, who causally walked away after the biggest moment of his career.
Barnes, now in his 10th season as Tennessee's head coach after spending more than a quarter of his coaching career at Texas, would rather be on this side of it.
"I made one good coaching move today," Barnes said. "I didn’t tell the referee I was going to call timeout. I normally tell them and they would probably have given it to me. But I’m screaming and, really, I did not see the shot.
"“I’m happy for Jahmai (Mashack). He’s been just incredible with everything. He exemplifies everything that you want in a player, a person."
Mashack a fitting hero for Vols
Chaz Lanier's free throw rimmed out.
For just a second, as the ball fell towards the floor amid a scrum for it under the basket, it seemed like hope had run out for Tennessee.
The Vols were trailing by four with 36 seconds left, but Lanier gave Tennessee some life after getting bumped by Grant Nelson going up for a shot that went in. He had a chance to make it a one-point game, but missed the ensuing free throw.
Mashack went for the rebound, but was shoved by Jarin Stevenson. Two more free throws. He made both to draw even at 76-76 with 30 seconds to go.
"That’s him trying to make plays," Barnes said. "He’s always trying to make plays. He’s a high-level competitor."
"I feel like those are the type of things that I do," Mashack said. "Getting those extra possessions...I think those are the possessions that get overlooked."
Mashack helped create another on the defensive end, where he put on another masterclass. He forced a jump ball on on Alabama's final possession, which prevented the Crimson Tide from getting the last shot.
A five-second violation on the in-bound gave the ball back to Tennessee, setting up Mashack to be a fitting hero.
"There was no question in my mind," Barnes said. "I told the (assistant coaches), he’s got to be out there and he willed his way in. He made the free throws and made the shot at the end. The five seconds was a big play for us.”
Tennessee, Texas had similar finish in 2006
Texas still had a chance.
After Lofton's go-ahead shot that highlighted a furious Tennessee comeback after trailing by 15 at the half, the Longhorns were in-bounding the ball on their side of the floor with 11.4 seconds left, down one.
D.J. Augstin stood along the sideline, looking for something to open up with Duke Crews going back-and-forth in front of him. He couldn't get the ball out in time and tried to call a a timeout in desperation. Texas was whistled for a five-second violation, instead.
Ramar Smith was fouled after the Vols got the ball back and went 1-for-2 at the line and Durant went down and made a play of his own, banking in a shot that sent the game to overtime.
That shot was ultimately overshadowed by Lofton's. Tennessee won in overtime, 111-105.
The five-second call and Mashack's final heave conjured up memories for a more joyous Barnes.
“I got a great memory of it" Barnes quipped. "We earned a five-second count. They did’t. We (Texas) got a bad call. We didn’t today. That’s what I remember. They had five-second call that wasn’t even three. So yeah, that’s what I remember about that shot.”
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