Why the 3?

[Wade for President]

It's really hard to fault anything with McNeal over the last few weeks...BUT, why take the contested 3 with 6 seconds left in regulation?!?  I know he's taken his game to another level the last month of the season, but why, why, why do you take that shot?

[OpenLook]

Exactly what I was yelling at the TV... Six seconds is more than enough time to drive to the basket and try for a lay-up.  McNeal's not a three-point shooter, everyone knows that. He'd just had two great, albeit almost out of control, drives before that, why not take that chance for another??  Of course, he played a great game, especially those threes in overtime, but I sure would have liked the game to end after 40 minutes.

[MR.HAYWARD]

agreed as great a game as mcneal had he tends to fall in love with the three.  In fact he only missed 2 two-point shots all  night.  Both in the last few seconds of OT.  Take the ball to the whole and shoot a pull up10-15 for the win at the buzzer.   One play i could not understand was the late post up for Lazar.  He is giving up 6-7 inches there and I felt that was very questionable by Crean.  Tough tough loss we had two shots from 12 or so feet in the last 20 seconds for the win that just would not fall.  Tough tough break.  The 5th foul on Ooze which turned a turnover into 2 points for Stnaford was a terrible call.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Let's not forget that McNeal missed the shot, Hayward got the rebound and was blocked.  McNeal took an open shot and missed....the guy close in got blocked.  McNeal took what he thought was the open look.

[77ncaachamps]

I was thinking that too. I was sitting next to another MU fan when I McNeal shot the ball. I was busy with the action that I was befuddled how a Stanford guy could get the shot off towards the end of regulation. I asked the guy how many seconds were on the clock and he said about 5.

My thought initially when I saw McNeal shoot the ball were, "What are you thinking?!?" It still is that thought, the day after the loss. I thought he'd at least drive or pull up closer. He did take an open 3, but he still had time to try and get a closer shot or draw contact.

[Daniel]

I thought the same, but I hold nothing against him - he single-handedly kep t us in the game with his slashing and 3s.  He was hot, and maybe felt this is the nail in the coffi - game over if I hit it - and he had the hot hand.

Ifs and what ifs - but we looked danred good and tough and like we belonged....which we did.

[eyemon]

It did seem that he had a lane to the basket.  However, the Lopez bros. had leeway from the refs on body fouls after shot blocks (think of the 2 layup attempts by James in OT) and I didn't have much confidence if he drove and dropped a pass to our C/F off the drive.  If he hits the 3, it's a 2 possession game and the sweet 16.  I really can't fault the shot that much.  Burke could have faked a shot to potentially draw a foul, but in the waning moments, he probably didn't know he had another second or two to get the ball up.