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Jay Williams of ESPN on a loss to Indiana basketball, and his wife's family's reaction
TL;DR
Jay Williams reflects on his emotional loss to Indiana basketball in the 2002 Sweet Sixteen, where he missed a crucial free throw. He shares insights on the unique support Indiana received from Kentucky fans during the game.
Key points
- Jay Williams lost to Indiana in the 2002 Sweet Sixteen.
- He missed a crucial free throw in the closing seconds.
- Kentucky fans cheered for Indiana during the game.
Mentioned in this story
Jay Williams
Indiana basketballKentucky basketball
ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Williams has a special connection to Indiana basketball — and sometimes it flusters him.
Williams' final college game came in a loss to the Hoosiers in the 2002 Sweet Sixteen. Williams said he was ready to live out "every kid's dream" when he drew a foul on IU's Dane Fife while scoring in the closing seconds. However, he missed the tying free throw in IU's 74-73 victory.
The game was played in Lexington, Kentucky, and even the UK fans were cheering for the Hoosiers.
"The only time I think I've ever heard Kentucky fans root for Indiana," Williams told the Indiana Fever's Sophie Cunningham on the "Show Me Something" podcast. "It happens because they despise us so much."
Then Williams offered the kicker.
"Now, I tell you this because I happen to marry a girl that went to IU," he said. "And her brother and her dad also went to IU. And all I hear about is the missed free throw for the last 10 years of my life.
"Indiana fans are pretty crazy, man."
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Jay Williams talks loss to Indiana basketball, his wife's family's reaction
Q&A
What happened in Jay Williams' final college game against Indiana?
In his final college game, Jay Williams lost to Indiana in the 2002 Sweet Sixteen, missing a tying free throw in a 74-73 defeat.
How did Kentucky fans react during the Indiana vs. Jay Williams game?
Kentucky fans surprisingly cheered for Indiana during the game, which Jay Williams noted as a rare occurrence due to their rivalry.
What does Jay Williams say about his connection to Indiana basketball?
Jay Williams expressed a special connection to Indiana basketball, which sometimes flusters him due to his past experiences with the team.
