We already have the best moment of March Madness, and the NCAA tournament has yet to even begin.
Albany was down 49-42 with less than two minutes left, but they scrapped back to get the score down to 50-48 with the ball on the final possession. A missed shot bounced back out to star guard Peter Hooley, who knocked down this three to give the Great Danes the win and send them off to the NCAA tournament:
Why is this the best moment?
Because Hooley, who is Australian, traveled back to his home country for three weeks during the season to be with his mother, who passed away after a long fight with cancer. He missed eight games. The Danes went 8-0 in that stretch.
He was overcome with emotion after making the shot:
As far as Stony Brook is concerned, this was yet another heartbreaking loss for the Seawolves under Steve Pikiell. This was the fourth time in the last five seasons that the program has reached the America East title game, and they are now 0-4 with a trip to the NCAA tournament on the line, each loss more excruciating than the last.