By Michael Kelly
Sports Xchange
DENVER - Josh Hagins scored 31 points, including six in double overtime, and 12th-seeded Arkansas-Little Rock shocked fifth-seeded Purdue with an 85-83 win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional 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.
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.
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Hagins, who had 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 to make it a four-point game.
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.
Edwards missed a layup in the final seconds of overtime that would have won it for Purdue, sending the game to a second overtime.
Trojans coach Chris 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, Arkansas-Little Rock used its pressure defense to spark a 10-0 run to get within 65-62.
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.
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Two free throws by Edwards made it 70-67, but Hagins drained a long 3-pointer to send it to overtime.
