Broadcaster Kevin Harlan makes clutch deflection, delivers epic play-by-play call during March Madness game

Kevin Harlan has 1 of the astir recognizable voices successful sports. The longtime broadcaster has handled play-by-play duties for NFL, NBA and assemblage hoops games.

Harlan's dependable tin presently beryllium heard during immoderate of this year's NCAA Division I men's hoops tourney games. He was connected the telephone for No. 6-seeded Ole Miss' hard-fought triumph implicit No. 11 North Carolina. 

But astatine 1 constituent during the archetypal half, Harlan had to deliberation rapidly – and helium surely roseate to the occasion.

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Broadcaster Kevin Harlan is introduced during the crippled betwixt the Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves astatine Target Center connected Jan. 18, 2024, successful Minneapolis. (David Berding/Getty Images)

Ole Miss held a 41-23 pb implicit North Carolina with conscionable implicit 2 minutes near earlier halftime erstwhile a Rebels subordinate attempted to halt an errant shot from going retired of bounds. But a Tar Heels subordinate ended up deflecting the ball. 

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The deflection sent the shot speeding toward the country on the sideline wherever Harlan was sitting with his headset on.

The North Carolina Tar Heels play the Mississippi Rebels astatine Fiserv Forum connected March 21, 2025, successful Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Jack Dempsey/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Harlan past enactment his speedy reflexes connected afloat display, portion simultaneously offering a play-by-play of the action. "Saves the shot with a leap. Knocked retired of bounds, deflected by me, and disconnected to the side," helium said arsenic helium stretched retired his limb to marque definite his broadcasting spouse Stan Van Gundy didn't get deed by the ball.

"It was going close for you, did you spot that?" Harlan past asked the erstwhile NBA coach.

Van Gundy past took a look astatine the replay and praised Harlan, saying, "Great deflection!"

Kevin Harlan speaks during a ceremonial honoring erstwhile Minnesota Timberwolves caput manager Flip Saunders anterior to a crippled against the Los Angeles Lakers, Feb. 15, 2018, successful Minneapolis. (Brace Hemmelgarn-USA Today Sports)

Almost instantly aft the Tar Heels were revealed arsenic 1 of the 68 teams who made it to "The Dance," the storied programme faced sizeable backlash. Since UNC was the last squad to get awarded a spot successful the NCAA Tournament, they had to play successful the "First Four" for seeding purposes.

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The Tar Heels dominated the San Diego State Aztecs successful that matchup to gain the No. 11 effect successful the South Region. But North Carolina could not flooded Ole Miss successful the archetypal round. 

RJ Davis led the Tar Heels with 15 points, portion Sean Pedulla's 20-point show helped the Rebels advance. Ole Miss volition conscionable No. 3 Iowa successful the 2nd circular connected Sunday successful Milwaukee. 

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