College Basketball

'We actually call it Mahomes': Football plays sneak into NCAA tourney

Updated Mar. 20, 2023 6:23 p.m. ET

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The 2023 NCAA Tournament has been filled with so much madness that even some football plays have made their way onto the court.

In the closing moments of its Round 2 win over Kentucky, Kansas State looked like it called trips left on an inbound play under its own basket. Three Wildcats lined up along the baseline on the left side of the basket with the inbounds passer standing on the right side of the basket. After the inbounds passer got the ball from the ref, the two players on the inside ran straight forward and set a screen, allowing the player on the far left to step up and the inbounds pass with space.

Markquis Nowell, who caught the inbounds pass, was fouled and made the ensuing free throws to put Kansas State up seven with 23 seconds left before winning 75-69.

Following the game, Kansas State coach Jerome Tang admitted that he stole the play from another team, but he had his own twist to it.

"We actually call it ‘Mahomes’ for Patrick Mahomes, the quarterback for the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs," Tang said.

Mahomes appreciated the shout-out, responding on Twitter with a few flexing emojis to celebrate the success of the team from one of the Chiefs' neighboring states.

Tang, however, didn't want to give an all-22, or in this case, an all-10, breakdown of the play.

"No [I don't want to explain it] because then the other team would know the next time we have to use it," Tang said.

Kansas State wasn't the only team to run a play that looked like it came from the gridiron on Sunday.

Florida Atlantic found itself in a similar situation that Kansas State was in as it held a late lead over Fairleigh Dickinson. With Fairleigh Dickinson running a full-court press, Florida Atlantic dialed up a similar play. The Owls had three players lined up far left along the baseline and another player standing to the right of the inbounds passer. 

The three players on the left turned right and the player on the right turned left, as if to run a mesh route, and got open to get the inbounds pass.

The play allowed Florida Atlantic to seal its win over Fairleigh Dickinson, securing a Sweet 16 date against Tennessee. In their first two games in the tournament, the Volunteers have allowed 55 and 52 points, respectively. Louisiana shot just 40% from the field and committed 14 turnovers in Round 1 and Duke made just 42.9% of its shots and committed 15 turnovers in Round 2 against Tennessee.

Florida Atlantic coach Dusty May said he might employ tactics from a different sport to help pull off the upset on Thursday.

"We're going to study Australian rugby rules and get ready for the Vols," May said.

Read more:

• John Fanta's 2023 March Madness instant reaction to every game
• NCAA Tournament live updates: Highlights from March Madness
• Rodney Terry proving that he deserves Texas job
• Behind the scenes: How Fairleigh Dickinson toppled Purdue
• Is Purdue overdue for a philosophical shift?
• UConn is starting to look like UConn again
• 2023 March Madness: Upsets, thrillers, more viral moments
• NCAA Men's Tournament brackets
• NCAA March Madness: Schedule dates, locations, how to watch
• Kelvin Sampson's failures could be key to Houston's success
• NCAA Women's bracket: Top matchups, Final Four picks, more
• Mattress Mack can win $35 million if Houston wins it all
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• MLB 26-and-under power rankings: Which teams have the best young players?
• NBA playoff picture: How first-round matchups are shaping up
• College football rankings: Our top 25, spring football edition

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