UC Irvine forced overtime with an unusual game-tying play

Published Feb. 4, 2016 11:38 a.m. ET

foxsports

One of the positives about having a 7-foot-6 center on the roster is that he makes for a big target.

With UC Irvine in need of a game-tying 3-pointer to avoid an upset loss to Cal Poly, Russell Turner drew up a play that required a full-court pass to big man Mamadou Ndiaye.

The 7-foot-6 center caught the pass and reversed the ball to the other side of the court to a wide-open Jaron Martin, who drilled a three with less than a second to go to force overtime. The Anteaters ended up winning in overtime, 78-72.

That was Ndiaye's only assist of the night and Martin's only triple. Ndiaye ended with 21 points, four rebounds and eight blocks.

UC Irvine, the reigning Big West champions, in sole possession of first place in the conference standings, one game up on Hawaii. The Anteaters are off until next Friday when they travel to face the Rainbow Warriors.

(h/t College Basketball Talk)