'An inch away': Vanderbilt's buzzer-beater that wasn't brings out peak March Madness emotions
As the final shot hung in the air, Rienk Mast had the perfect view. He watched in horror from his seat on Nebraska's bench as Vanderbilt guard Tyler Tanner let fly from beyond mid-court, and his shot appeared alarmingly true. "It was right on line," Mast said.
What would have been one of the greatest NCAA tournament buzzer beaters of all time will instead be remembered as the ultimate near-miss. Tanner's prayer hit the backboard, circled every part of the rim and bounced out, preserving fourth-seeded Nebraska's 74-72 second-round victory over fifth-seeded Vanderbilt . This close....
š¤ #MarchMadness pic. twitter. com/lEtY7T1WX1 ā NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 22, 2026 When his shot did not fall, Tanner fell flat on his back, put his hands on his head and then slammed the arena floor in frustration.
Heartbroken Vanderbilt teammates and coaches bowed their heads or cried out in anguish as their program-record 27-win season ended one victory shy of the NCAA tournament's second weekend. Asked by reporters later if he thought his shot was going in, Tanner nodded. Voice barely above a whisper, he added, "It hurts pretty bad being that close.
" For Nebraska, the sight of Tanner's shot rimming out elicited far different emotions. The Huskers went from having their NCAA tournament life flash before their eyes to celebrating their school's first-ever Sweet 16 trip. Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg was still shaking with nerves and adrenaline minutes after the game ended.