Nathan Hawkins-The shot that saved the season

[Shuttlesworth]

Okay, that headline may be a little overstated, but play along. We've played out the "What if Leslee tips in the buzzer-beater vs. Michigan?" We've played out the "What if Biggs doesn't turn it over twice in the final 72 seconds vs. Penn St.?" But rarely do we play the "what if" game in wins. I'm going to attempt.

As far as individual clutch shots go, we've seen plenty of them this year. How many times did Petteway ice a game with a late three? How many clutch free-throws have he and Shields hit to put games away? What about the four clutch free-throws that Tai hit at home vs. Ohio St. in the final two minutes? We all remember the Gallegos three coming out of the eight minute timeout vs Wisconsin. Huge. But I'm going to take you back to the home game vs Indiana.

Indiana holds a 13 point halftime lead. Their zone is causing us major problems and our 19 first half points mark a season low. The second half starts a little better. Behind two Gallegos threes and six points from Petteway, we cut that lead to five at the 16 minute timeout. Then we go cold again. From 15:49 to the 7:41 mark, we are only able to muster two field goals. Petteway goes to the bench at the 15 minute mark after picking up his second and third fouls. Gallegos had gone ice cold. Shields had gone ice cold. Benny, in his limited minutes had been an absolute liability vs their zone. The only saving grace was that the Hoosiers hadn't been any better.

Enter, Nate Hawkins. Not only is he a true freshman, but he is seeing his first minutes since January 4th. This is January 30th. Nate played 10 minutes, all in the second half, and only took one shot. But man was that a big shot. If you remember, Indiana had been daring him to shoot. He had passed up two pretty good looks. But at the 7:41 mark, down three, he let one fly. Dagger. That three ties the game, rejuvenates the crowd, and sparks an 8-0 run over the next two minutes. That run, arguably, provided to be the most pivotal stretch in our five point win.

But, what if that shot doesn't go in and Indiana heads to the eight minute time out, up three (or more)? I'm not sure, but I'm glad we didn't have to find out. Good job, Nate.

[Silverbacked1]

Excellent

[FredsSlacks]

that hawkins shot was one of the better moments of the season, and this has been a great season.

 

Hopefully hawkins works hard in the offseason. He he has a nice looking shot. He and Fuller need to replace Ray's shooting next year.

[Norm Peterson]

That was a topic of conversation after that game, that Hawkins seemed like he didn't want to take the shot, had passed the ball off instead of pulling the trigger and when the ball came back to him it was like he had no excuse not to take that shot.  They were practically daring him. 

 

Funny thing is, if Hawkins misses that shot and the tide of the game continues in their favor, we probably aren't having this conversation.  It might have just been a season that merely lived up to expectations.  But we wouldn't have thought that shot mattered at all.  It would have been just another miss among many on the year.  As misses go, it would have seemed far less significant than Leslee Smith's missed tip the last second against Michigan.

 

But MAKE it, and it changes everything. 

 

In that sense, it didn't really "save" our season so much as it "allowed" or "enabled" the season we ended up having to take place.

[AuroranHusker]

That shot enabled Hawkins not redshirting to be totally worth it in the end!

Might be time for another Hawk sighting vs BU to hit a clutch bomb... or against CU!!

[basketballjones]

Great post.  Rarely do we think about it this way.  You always hear coaches talking about the "what ifs" at the end of the season and they also revolve around "that one point loss" here and there... Yet no one ever talks about all the close games they barely won.

[Omaha Nebrasketballer]

Great post, great point. I remember being at that game and how hesitant he was to shoot. I also remember him shooting another one after making the first and being way off, but by that point we had made a run and turned the tide of the game. (And season it turned out)

Just amazing how one thing like that and change the big picture so much.

[royalfan]

Great post.  Another huge shot was by Petteway at home against Illinois.  It was starting to come unhinged in the 2nd half and he answered a three with about 10 to 12 minutes left to trip the lead back to 3 or so.  Was another potential season saving shot. 

[KZRider]

It is amazing how few plays one way or the other impact an entire season. Hawkins' shot goes in. The tip against Michigan doesn't. And the history of a season is written.