The phrase "instant classic" is loosely used in sports these days, as recency bias often comes into play and influences public opinion.
But is there a more fitting way to describe the finish between Gonzaga and UCLA on Saturday night? Not really. The phrase must've been created for Final Four games like this one.
With 3.3 seconds left in overtime, after UCLA guard Johnny Juzang drove to the basket for a game-tying layup, Gonzaga improvised one of the greatest plays in college basketball history. Opting not to call a timeout, Bulldogs forward Corey Kispert quickly made the inbound pass to guard Jalen Suggs, who curled to the ball, dribbled three times up the floor, and then banked in a 40-foot, buzzer-beating miracle heave to give top-seeded Gonzaga a 93-90 win over the No. 11 seeded Bruins.
The drama couldn't have been greater. The stakes couldn't have been higher. Suggs' game-winning shot kept Gonzaga's undefeated streak alive, and they'll look to complete the perfect season against No. 1 seed Baylor in the national championship game on Monday night in Indianapolis.
USA TODAY Sports national columnist writer Dan Wolken joined After Hours with Amy Lawrence on Monday morning to break down Gonzaga's iconic moment, and the mayhem that followed.
"I think I just sort of threw my arms up and said, 'Wow, I can't believe I just saw that,'" Wolken said. "I've been lucky in my career. I've seen a lot of crazy finishes and a lot of great games. But when that ball went in... Actually, from my vantage point, I didn't see it go off glass. But I knew as soon as he shot it -- because I was sort of behind the basket on the opposite side of the court -- it looked like a good shot. It looked like a shot that had a chance to go in. And it did. I'm always thinking about what I'm going to write, you know. That's kind of my job. Immediately, just kind of thinking about, 'Ok, how am I going to figure out how to put this in print.' And it was just an amazing moment...
"It was one of those games you knew that either team could win. It was going to come down to the final minute. There was no clear-cut winner in that game. And UCLA certainly had their chances. Everything was sort of set up for them to get it done. Yet, at the same, you knew with Gonzaga, as great a team as they were, was going to make a push and make it difficult for UCLA to close that out. So, just a great, great college basketball game, and certainly one of the most exciting finishes I've ever seen."
With a win over Baylor (tip-off at 9:20 p.m. ET), Gonzaga would become the first undefeated champion since Bob Knight's Indiana Hoosiers accomplished the feat back in 1976.
The entire Final Four conversation between Wolken and Lawrence can be accessed in the audio player below.
You can follow After Hours With Amy Lawrence on Twitter @ALawRadio and @AfterHoursCBS, and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.