Mar 17, 2016; Denver , CO, USA; Arkansas Little Rock Trojans guard Josh Hagins (3) celebrates making a game tying three-point shot during Purdue vs Arkansas Little Rock in the first round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
By Michael Kelly, The Sports Xchange
DENVER — With its season on the line, Little Rock turned to its senior guard to lead the way.
Josh Hagins came through and the Trojans joined the growing list of Cinderella teams who took down a big program.
Hagins scored 29 of his career-high 31 points after halftime, including six in double overtime, and 12th-seeded Little Rock shocked fifth-seeded Purdue 85-83 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday.
The Trojans (30-5) are the second straight Sun Belt Conference team to pull an upset in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Georgia State did it to Baylor last year.
That memorable win came on a last-second 3-pointer. Thursday’s Midwest Region upset was because of a 6-1 guard who didn’t want to end his college career.
“I’ve waited 22 years to get to this point, this one game,” Hagins said. “I wasn’t going to go out like that. I wasn’t going to go without a fight. I made shots, missed them. I was going to go out swinging.”
A.J. Hammons had 16 points, 15 rebounds and six blocks for the Boilermakers (26-9). Vince Edwards scored 24 points, but Purdue blew a 13-point lead late in regulation.
“I thought we had the game in control, and they kept fighting,” Purdue coach Matt Painter said. “They made a lot of plays on the defensive and offensive end, especially Josh Hagins. I thought he was great.”
Hagins was held in check in the first half but after a talk with coach Chris Beard came alive after the intermission.
“I live for those situations,” Hagins said. “My teammates have a lot of belief in me. I just want to come through for my team. That’s the bottom line.”
Hagins, who added seven rebounds, six assists and five steals, took over in the second overtime. He hit a jumper to give the Trojans a 77-75 lead at the start and Kemy Osse’s 3-pointer made it five-point game.
Hammons cut it to 81-79 with two free throws before Hagins hit a fadeaway jumper.
Hagins split two free throws with 19 seconds left to give the Trojans an 84-81 lead and Edwards scored on a layup at the other end.
After Marius Hill missed two free throws, Purdue’s Johnny Hill turned it over driving to the basket. Hagins hit a free throw and Edwards’ desperation heave was way off.
“I thought there was definitely contact,” Painter said of Hill’s drive. “I couldn’t tell because he kind of long-stepped through the contact. I thought he got hit, but I haven’t watched it yet to confirm that.”
The Boilermakers had a clear size advantage but went small for the last four minutes of regulation and both overtimes to try to counter the Trojans’ lineup.
“We never in our wildest dreams imagined they would match up with us,” Beard said. “Late in the game when they did that, it brought us confidence. That was a defining moment in our game with our guys from a confidence standpoint.”
Edwards missed a layup in the final seconds of overtime that would have won it for Purdue, sending the game to a second overtime.
Beard said his team would play hard until the final whistle and they backed up his words with a stunning rally in the final minutes.
After Hammons hit two free throws with 3:33 left, Little Rock used its pressure defense to spark a 12-0 run to get within 65-64.
A turnover by Hammons turned into a layup at the other end and after Purdue’s Dakota Mathias hit a corner 3-pointer to push the lead to four, Lis Shoshi answered to make it 68-67 with 20.9 seconds left.
Two free throws by Edwards made it 70-67, but Hagins drained a long 3-pointer to send it to overtime.
“Most people in the building probably thought we were about knocked out,” Beard said. “And they got to about eight, nine, and our guys got up there in the end. We got into our press. The players believed in it. We hit some big shots.”
NOTES: Arkansas-Little Rock coach Chris Beard has a cast on his right hand courtesy of a punch he landed on the grease board in the locker room at halftime of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament final last weekend. … Purdue’s bench has outscored opponents in 32 of 35 games this season. … The Boilermakers won the only other meeting between the teams, 102-88 on Nov. 20, 1987.
