March Madness: Gamblers lash out at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi guard for beating the spread on late 3

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of Thursday’s game against Alabama failed to make the highlight reels, but not for any lack of significance.

Instead of impacting the game’s outcome, Ross Williams’ heave managed only to turn a 24-point defeat into a marginally less embarrassing 21-point loss.

However, the last-second 3-pointer did beat the 23.5-point spread, sending gamblers into hysterics.

‘Whoever just shot that three to blow my Alabama spread I will find you,’ wrote on gambler, who was hopefully just joking. 

‘That kid on Corpus Christi demanding the ball to cover the spread was pure March,’ joked Bar Stool Sports’ Dan Katz.

‘Ross Williams of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi knew exactly what he was doing,’ accused one fan.

It’s unclear if Williams understood the consequence of his 3-pointer, or exactly how much money has changed hands as a result.

Williams – the stepson of New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green – has not spoken about the shot and his Twitter account has no reference to it, either.

Of course, those who lost money as a result of the shot aren’t going to be swayed very easily.

‘Alabama not covering this spread was a travesty,’ tweeted another gambler. ‘I won’t win another bet today, this ruined the vibes for good.’

Interestingly, Texas A&M-CC’s previous game had a similar last-second swing.

Playing in the NCAA Tournament’s ‘First Four,’ the Islanders held a 74-71 lead over Southeast Missouri State, when a controversial foul call with 1.5 seconds remaining gave Texas A&M CC the chance to make two free throws to cover the 3.5-point spread.

The NCAA Tournament remains one of the most popular annual events for gamblers, who wagered an estimated $3.1 billion on the 2022 tournament. In total, more than 17 percent of American adults (roughly 45 million people) placed a bet on March Madness last year, according to the American Gaming Association.