WATCH: Controversial foul call advances Miami past USC in NCAA Tournament
Friday’s first round NCAA Tournament game between Miami and USC was decided on a much-debated foul call in the final seconds. After Trojans guard Drew Peterson hit a layup to tie the game at 66 with 14 seconds remaining, Miami raced up the court for its last shot.
Hurricanes guard Charlie Moore sliced through the defense and into the paint, going up for the game-winning layup. USC’s Ethan Anderson emphatically swatted the shot attempt away, but referees called a foul after his body collided with Moore’s. With three seconds on the clock, the Miami guard calmy nailed the ensuing free throws to give his team the victory.
“I just knew it was a tie game,” Moore said postgame. “Had eight seconds, we had one possession left. I just wanted to get downhill. Make a play for my teammates and myself. I didn’t want to force anything. Coach put trust in me, my teammates trusted me. So I just wanted to make a play for my teammates.”
Moore finished the game with 16 points on 5-6 shooting to go along with five assists and four steals. Hurricanes coach Jim Larranaga said after the game that those late-game heroics are what March is all about.
“I’m exhausted, that was an incredible game,” Larranaga said standing next to Moore on the court. “We played so well and so hard in the first half, then Sourthern Cal played so great in the second half. Like a lot of games in March Madness, somebody’s gotta step up and make a big play. Charlie did that tonight and Sam Waardenburg’s free throw was critical for us, so that’s March Madness at its best. That’s why they call it the Big Dance. We like to dance, don’t we, Charlie?”
Miami entered halftime with a 31-20 lead, but quickly allowed USC to find its way back into the game in the second half. The Trojans opened on a 17-2 run to take control and continued to push the Hurricanes into the final seconds. After Miami strung together a 6-0 run to take a seven-point lead with 44 seconds remaining, it appeared all but over. However, Drew Peterson nailed back-to-back 3-pointers on the next two possessions as USC refused to go down easily.
Moore has had an interesting journey throughout his college basketball career. The 5-foot-11 guard is on his fourth school in six years after beginning as a freshman for the California Golden Bears in 2016-17. He transferred to Kansas following that season before switching schools again in the 2019-20 season, joining DePaul. Moore averaged 15.1 points per game across two years for the Blue Demons before again changing locations in his final college season.
Regardless of whether you believe the foul call was deserved or not, Moore stepped up for Miami when it needed him most against USC. The Hurricanes now turn their attention to the second round, where they have a matchup against No. 2 seed Auburn on Sunday.