The final buzzer sounded and Julius Randle sprinted toward the corner of the court furthest from his team’s bench, his eyes wide and his smile beaming.
He probably headed in that direction because he was already at that end of the court and he heard the fans roaring and celebrating Kentucky’s 77-76 win over LSU, so he took the quickest route to the joy. He gravitated toward the love.
About four seconds earlier, Randle’s basket had given the Wildcats the lead in this topsy-turvy game. And when he ran toward the corner to celebrate, his teammates followed.
Andrew Harrison wrapped his arm around Randle’s neck as they fell to the ground like they’d slipped on ice. Harrison later called it a middle-school wrestling move. Before long, the dogpile had grown.