'''Tyus Dwayne Edney''' (born February 14 1973 in Gardena, California) is a professional basketball player known for one of the greatest plays in college basketball history. He attended UCLA and was a point guard there from 1991-1995. In his senior season at UCLA, he set several personal bests, in such categories as total points (456), points per game (14.3), steals (74), and assists (216). At the end of his collegiate career, he was drafted 47th overall by the Sacramento Kings, where he played for 2 seasons. He spent 2 more seasons in the NBA, with the Boston Celtics in 1997-1998 and with the Indiana Pacers in 2000-2001. His best season in the NBA was his rookie year with the Kings, when he averaged 10.8 ppg and had 491 total assists. He has since bounced around several European teams, including Žalgiris in 1998-1999 (Euroleague winner), Benetton Treviso from 2001-2004, Virtus Roma in 2004-2005, and Olympiacos in 2005-2006.
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However, Tyus Edney is most known in the United States for his late game heroics in the 1995 NCAA Basketball Tournament. UCLA had played well in the 1994-1995 season, earning a number one seed in the West Region of the tournament as well as the top ranking in the national polls. UCLA was favored in their second round match against 8th seeded University of Missouri - Columbia, but with just 4.8 seconds remaining, the Tigers grabbed a one point advantage 74-73. UCLA Head Coach Jim Harrick called a timeout. He decided to call on the team's MVP, 5'10", 152 pound Tyus Edney.

Cameron Dollar inbounded the ball to Edney who took off up the left sideline. As Edney moved up the floor, the Missouri defenders all appeared fearful of fouling him, which might have allowed him to win the game at the free throw line. Though they moved into his path, they then took great care to stand still, not touch him and not reach for the ball. This allowed Edney to weave around each defender fairly easily and then continue advancing down the court. The defenders may have felt that with such weaving, Edney would not have time to get all the way to their basket, but if so, they underestimated his speed. Edney did in fact make it all the way to the Missouri goal and laid the ball up at the last possible moment. The ball hit the backboard and fell through the hoop as time expired, giving UCLA a 75-74 victory. Madness ensued, and four consecutive wins later, UCLA was crowned national champions. Edney's heroics are considered in the same vein as Danny Ainge in 1981 and Bryce Drew in 1998.

External links

*NBA.com profile
*Career NBA stats @ basketballreference.com

bat-smg:Tyus Edney

Biography courtesy of the brilliant Wikipedia!