- Crying kid summed up the feeling of Cincinnati fans in crushing defeat Sunday
- Seven-seed Nevada rallied from 22 down to beat the No. 2 Bearcats 75-73
- Nevada Wolf Pack will now face No. 11 Loyola-Chicago in Sweet Sixteen
A young Cincinnati fan has touched hearts by weeping on live TV as Nevada rallied from 22 points down to win in a stunning reversal.
The seventh-seeded Nevada Wolf Pack powered to their only lead of the game with 9.1 seconds remaining, beating the Cincinnati Bearcats 75-73 in the men’s NCAA Tournament on Sunday night.
Opinion was split on TNT Network’s decision to pan back repeatedly to the young boy crying, with some calling it humiliating and others saying he embodied the sentiment of Bearcat nation.
A young Cincinnati fan has touched hearts by weeping on live TV as Nevada rallied from 22 points down to win 75-73 in a stunning reversal on Sunday
Cody Martin #11 of the Nevada Wolf Pack shoots a layup against Jarron Cumberland #34 of the Cincinnati Bearcats during the second half. The Wolf Pack rallied to win the game
‘Ah TNT, stop showing the little Bearcat boy who is crying over the loss. He doesn’t need to be constantly humiliated on national TV,’ one person wrote on Twitter.
‘That little boy crying is all of Cincinnati right now,’ another wrote.
Sunday’s victory will send the Wolf Pack to their first Sweet Sixteen since 2004.
Nevada trailed by 12 at the half, and Cincinnati opened the second half on an 11-3 run. With 14:16 remaining the Bearcats had extended their lead over Nevada to 59-41.
Nevada then went on a sensational 16-0 run to get back in the game.
With 9.1 seconds left, Josh Hall hit a short jumper to give Nevada its only lead of the game at 75-73.
Nevada Wolf Pack forward Caleb Martin (10) shoots against Cincinnati Bearcats guard Jacob Evans (1) during the second half in Sunday’s game
Josh Hall #33 of the Nevada Wolf Pack celebrates with Hallice Cooke #13 after defeating the Cincinnati Bearcats on Sunday in Nashville
Cincinnati couldn’t get a shot off before the clock expired sending the Wolf Pack celebrating and hugging on the court.
Cincinnati was the highest remaining seed left in the South Region after a string of upsets, and now the Bearcats are the latest to go down.
Next up, Nevada will play another March Madness surprise, Loyola-Chicago, in the Sweet Sixteen.
The two teams will meet on Thursday in Atlanta for the South Region semifinals.