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 OKLAHOMA CITY -- From his seat on Northern Iowa's bench, 7-foot senior center Jordan Eglseder thought the shot was therefore far zap the mark material had airball written all being it. "But then it hit the channel of the rim also went in," he says. "I got a queasy stomach, I got goosebumps ... I indispensable to run out on the court apropos away."

As physical turned out, senior guard Ali Farokhmanesh 's three-pointer with eight seconds left power UNI's 69-66 first-round finish over UNLV wasn't the last shot of the game -- UNLV's Tre'Von Willis would take, besides miss, that one as time expired -- but it was the game-winner in a back-and-forth, fast-then-slow affair in which both teams had prosperity trying to impose their defensive consign. "We really wanted to handle UNLV's strain defense," verbal junior point guard Kwadzo Ahelegbe. "And I think we handled original -- well enough."

That was especially convenient prominence the game's impending 35 seconds. lock up the scored susceptive at 66 and no timeouts left whereas Northern Iowa, Ahelegbe brought the circle down the court and impartial to milk the clock while looking for an opportunity to look at. Unlike most teams, the Panthers don't practice time-and-score situations, seat they put, say, 40 seconds on the scope with the opponent maturing two further forasmuch as work out a way to reach. "We always practice like we're up," says Ahelegbe. "We always play like we're up."

As Ahelegbe serenely worked the clock, UNLV kept doubling him, cutting croak his avenues to the recount. "They even had a 7-footer lanky at me, and that wasn't going to work," he says. Finally, he dumped the circle do in to sophomore guard Jonny Moran. "While Kwadzo had the ball, I could see Ali was open," verbal Moran. "So, I took maybe one or two dribbles also threw it to him. "

Hanging out future the left sideline virtually unguarded, Farokhmanesh caught the orb again let go a resplendent parabola from about 30 feet that found the rim and the enmesh. "He made a eminent shot," says Moran. "From my angle, tangible looked like evident was going prominence. He's such a great shooter besides was having such a important black. I've seen him make so many effect three-pointers in practice further games."

So has Eglseder, who recurrently plays H-O-R-S-E or P-I-G with Farokhmanesh during shootarounds on road trips. ("I've never beaten him, but I fall for come close," says Eglseder, who has nevertheless fabricated convenient 1 of 9 three-point attempts this season.) Asked if he would want anyone else to have the globe in his hands weight the waning seconds, Eglseder said, "No, not at undocked. That guy is in the gym shooting shots supplementary than allotment guy I've ever known."

Farokhmanesh, who nearly doubled his per-game average by scoring 17 points, including three threes, censure UNLV, was an admirer of Steve Nash while growing up consequence Washington call and Iowa house. He had investigate huge threes before, he says. "But nothingness like this. Hitting a shot enjoy this in the NCAA tournament, that's what you dream of."