Prayer That Was Answered Puts Chiozza, Gators One Win From Final Four

Sunday, March 26

New York, NY

2:20 PM

Florida Gators

South Carolina

Junior guard Chris Chiozza (11) races up the court during action in Friday night's defeat of Wisconsin in the NCAA East Region semifinals.

Prayer That Was Answered Puts Chiozza, Gators One Win From Final Four

Saturday, March 25, 2017 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry

Someone was looking out for Chris Chiozza against Wisconsin, starting with his mother.

By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer

NEW YORK — His phone had absolutely blown up in the nearly two hours since. His Instagram account had gone viral. By the time Chris Chiozza and the Florida Gators arrived back at the team hotel in Manhattan at 2:20 Saturday morning he'd probably watched the newest "Shot Heard Around the World" 100 times.

But now it was time to see his mother.

At the top of the marble staircase at the Grand Hyatt Park Avenue several dozen hardcore UF fans were still very much awake — and probably, like the team, weren't going to fall asleep anytime soon. As the players made their way through the lobby, there came the UF hero, stopping a couple times to pose for selfies before locking in on his mom, wrapped in a leather coat and wearing a knit Gators cap.

Has a hug ever been so good?

"We took a couple pictures together, then went over to the side and had a few moments to ourselves," said Curtistine Chiozza, who made the trip solo because her husband had to work. "All his life, Chris has wanted the opportunity to be on a stage like that, so we said a quick prayer together and gave thanks."

[Read senior writer Chris Harry's in-depth UF-South Carolina 'Pregame Stuff' preview here]

It wasn't Curtistine's first prayer of the night, by the way. From her seat in Section 106 at Madison Square Garden, Curstistine watched with horror as the Gators blew an eight-point lead in the final minute and half of regulation — with her son the closest defender when Wisconsin's Zak Showalter made a flying-forward 3-pointer with 2.5 seconds left — to send the game into overtime. In the extra period, UF trailed by five with 1:40 left.

"All I kept thinking was how we should have closed it out before overtime," she said. "I was formulating in my mind what I would say to Chris if they didn't win this game because I knew he would be devastated. I didn't know what I, as a mom, could actually say to make him feel any better. So I just thought a lot of positive thoughts … and prayed."

Others can debate whether divine intervention had anything to do with Florida's thrilling 84-83 defeat of Wisconsin that propelled fourth-seeded Florida (27-8) into Sunday's East Region title game against South Carolina (25-10) for a berth in the Final Four. What cannot be argued, though, is that Chris Chiozza's name will now go on the list of the greatest buzzer-beaters in NCAA Tournament history. Yes, right there alongside Kris Jenkins, Christian Laettner, Lorenzo Charles, U.S. Reed, Tate George, Bryce Drew and, as many a UF fan brought up in the aftermath, Mike Miller, to name a few.

Amazing @GatorsMBK memories made last night and in 2000. #ChompChomp ???? https://t.co/UfDRXP0lL2
— Mike Miller (@MikeMiller_13) March 25, 2017

Hey "Cheez," ever heard of Tyus Edney?

"Nope."

Edney was the 5-foot-10 jitterbug who went the length of the court — even dribbling behind his back — and threw in a running bank shot at the horn to give top-seeded and top-ranked UCLA a 75-74 defeat of Missouri in the 1995 NCAA Tournament, a play that spurred the Bruins on an eventual run to the national title. It remains an all-time classic play, with Edney completing the journey in 4.6 seconds (see video below).

Worth noting: That play was 21 years ago, the same year Chiozza was born.

Listed (maybe a tad generously) at a very Edney-like 6 feet, Chiozza did his magic in 4.0 seconds and didn't make do with a layup. He hoisted an off-balance runner while sailing toward the goal and putting a dash of touch on the ball.

Said UF senior point guard Kasey Hill: "That shot will be remembered forever."

Hello, James Forrest. Nice to meet you, Ty Rogers. You too, Kenton Paulino.

Note: If you don't recognize those, Google away. Better yet, YouTube 'em.

Each hit memorable shots, but none of them — with the possible exception of Edney — had to work so hard to put themselves in position and do so almost single-handedly. And at the Garden, just for good measure.

"I heard from everybody that probably I ever met," Chiozza said Saturday during the Gators media session at MSG. "It was a long night, but I tried not to talk to too many people, just my family and people that I'm pretty close with. I tried to get my rest. It was tough though, [but] it was exciting, so I just tried my best to get off my feet and just lay in bed and try to fall asleep."

That was the advice of Coach Mike White. When the bus from the Garden pulled up to the hotel, White went to the back and addressed his players. White understood, he told them, that no one on the team — including him — would be able to get to sleep right away. Instead, he begged them to put their feet up and to get off their phones, thus eliminating the urge to answer texts and watch replays until the sun came up.

"Our guys have had a business-like approach," White said. "We've had a lot of success outside of home this year, with our unique schedule [only 11 home games due to the Exactech Arena/O'Connell Center renovation] and I'm sure we did a pretty good job of trying to lay it down as much as possible last night."

That's a badddd man?????? pic.twitter.com/wb8wdxxyFW
— Scottie Wilbekin (@scottiew_5) March 25, 2017

They needed it for a busy Saturday of media obligations and a practice, all of which will feed into Sunday and with a ferocious opponent. South Carolina not only is an elite defensive team — ranked No. 2 in defensive efficiency, according to KenPom advance metrics, and one of the best in the country at forcing turnovers — but the Gamecocks also are one of the toughest teams in the game. UF, of course, would know, having played USC twice during the Southeastern Conference season, with both teams winning at home.

The first meeting was a 57-53 win for the Gamecocks. Chiozza scored four points, had four assists and five turnovers over 25 minutes in what was UF's first SEC loss of the season. Three days later, the Gators lost at home to Vanderbilt, 68-66, with Chiozza going scoreless in 14 minutes.

"He wasn't playing very well at the time," UF assistant coach Jordan Mincy said. "So he got to watch the game over with us."

Everyone knows this part of the story by now. In the aftermath of that Vandy loss, the Gators had a fiery meeting when both players and coaches spoke up and had some very candid things to say to each other.

Chiozza went to the coaches to have a meeting of his own.

"I told him, maybe he needed to talk to Coach White and see if there was something he was not fulfilling as far as expectations, and I was really surprised that he did it," Curtistine Chiozza said. "Chris was told that he had not been playing to his potential, and they didn't know what was going on. Once that line of communication had been opened, I think he became more confident. He had a better idea where he stood."

Look where Chiozza and his teammates are standing now.

The Gators won the next nine games, and 13 of the 16 since, with Chiozza playing the best basketball of his career. And early Saturday morning, he took his place in college basketball history.

Sometimes prayers are answered.

* Check out social media reaction to Chris Chiozza's buzzer beater, Storify style.