Some controversy surrounded Chance Gladden’s game-winning basket in Boston University’s 73-72 upset win over host Navy on Sunday to send the Terriers to the Patriot League Tournament championship game.
The game clock operator did not start the clock on time when the ball was inbounded, and it appeared that at least a second had passed before it started running.
Gladden took the inbounds pass and he pulled up from 40 feet to launch the game-winning shot.
The error with the game clock was quickly realized and the refs worked to figure out what to do while looking at the replay.
Navy may have been screwed here.
Watch as the clock takes about 2 seconds to start once touched by the Boston player 😱 pic.twitter.com/mo5chaupUf
— The Best of Sports (@SportsGreatest0) March 9, 2026
After several moments, the officials ruled that they would put 0.6 seconds back on the clock.
“After further review, we have to put time on the clock,” referee Sean Hull told the crowd. “It did not start appropriately.”
Navy made one last-ditch effort by heaving the ball, but it missed and Boston University advanced to the tournament final.
“We outrebounded them. We took really good care of the ball. We scored more points in the paint. We had more second-chance points. We had more points off turnovers,” Navy head coach Jon Perry told reporters after the game. “If you look at the box score, the stats say you’re supposed to win that game.”
The loss ended a stretch in which the Midshipmen won 14 games straight and all but ended any hope for Navy to make it to the NCAA Tournament.
Navy had gone 26-7 overall in the regular season and were 17-1 in conference play.
The Midshipmen’s win total was the most since they went 26-6 during the 1986-87 season.
The turn of events on Sunday does set the stage for Boston University to win the program’s first Patriot League Tournament title on Wednesday.
The Terriers will face the No. 2 seed Lehigh for a chance to advance to the NCAA Tournament.
