The Basketball Tournament: Boeheim’s Army will meet Team 23 in championship game

The Basketball Tournament’s first semifinal Sunday at UD Arena featured a thrilling finish — even by the standards of the TBT, which thanks to the Elam Ending has memorable game-ending shots almost every time.

With the game tied at 64-64, Florida TNT had the ball and a chance to win the game with a basket. The first team to reach the target score of 66 would win. However, Tyrese Rice, of Boeheim’s Army, stole the ball from Kenny Boynton and went the other way for a fast-break layup to win the game.

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Boeheim’s Army, whose 10-man roster features six former Syracuse players, celebrated a 66-64 victory in the same corner of UD Arena where St. Bonaventure celebrated its Atlantic 10 Conference tournament championship in March.

Boeheim’s Army, a No. 3 seed from the Illinois Regional, will play Team 23, the No. 6 seed from the West Virginia regional, in the championship game at 9 p.m. Tuesday at UD Arena. The game will be televised on ESPN. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com.

Boeheim’s Army trailed 58-53 when the Elam Ending began. Rice, who played at Boston College, scored all 13 of the team’s points during the Elam Ending and finished with 24 points on 9-of-18 shooting.

Team 23 advanced with a 78-62 victory against Blue Collar U, a Buffalo Bulls alumni team. Marcus Hall, who played at Colorado from 2003-08, led Team 23 with 16 points. Team 23 broke open a close game early in the fourth quarter

Great finish to the first semifinal. @BoeheimsArmy advances with 66-64 victory in @thetournament. pic.twitter.com/7Z8vMDdIdu
— David Jablonski (@DavidPJablonski) August 1, 2021

Marcus Hall hits his third Elam Ender this summer!!!

Team 23 is going to the TBT CHAMPIONSHIP GAME!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/6phvNIroNM
— TBT (@thetournament) August 1, 2021