Vanderbilt’s Fisher-Davis explains decision to foul in final seconds of game

Northwestern found a way to survive and advance on Thursday in its first ever NCAA Tournament game.

In the dying seconds of their first-round game against Northwestern, Vanderbilt guard Matthew Fisher-Davis made a crucial mistake. To see we were down one and he fouled, I just had to put my mind on making the free throws at the end. He led Vanderbilt with 25 points.

The team is on the verge of its first ever game in the NCAA championship tournament. Lindsey had 14, but McIntosh dominated the game for Northwestern.

Fisher-Davis said he thought Vandy was down 1.

On the season, Vanderbilt basketball is averaging 71.3 points, 34.6 rebounds and 13.0 assists per game.

In a postgame interview with Jamie Erdahl, Drew stuck up for Fisher-Davis. “The second half, we had no chance if he didn’t make some of the shots that he did”. The Wildcats hit 5 of 7 free throws during that stretch to earn the win. Counted among those Northwestern grads now who now cover sports for a living are some of the more high-profile folks out there.

The jokes about a game between two schools for nerds being decided by an incredibly dumb play were quick and merciless.

A wild finish featured six lead changes in the final 1:36 seconds as the teams traded baskets and free throws. Vanderbilt closed that big gap nearly instantaneously and took a few late leads, but the Cats hit the requisite free throws down the stretch and barely pulled out the two-point win. And that mojo continued in the NCAA tourney first round.

– The Commodores scored 27 bench points compared to 10 for the Wildcats.