One measly free throw cost Auburn bettors in the Tigers' [65-62 win](https://www.thescore.com/ncaab/events/147492) Saturday over Florida in [an SEC semifinal](http://www.secsports.com/bracket/mens-basketball) at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. And the miss came from the same player -- junior guard Jared Harper -- who had given them false hope just moments earlier. ## Auburn bad beat vs. Florida The 22nd-ranked Tigers (25-9, 19-13-1 against the spread), who were 3.5-point favorites at tipoff (up from -2.5 when it opened) were up 61-60 when they got a defensve rebound with 37 seconds left. Florida coach Mike White opted not foul, and Auburn was in no rush. Harper held the ball nearly the entire possession, and then rose up about five feet behind the 3-point line and drained it to give the Tigers a four-point lead with 10.7 seconds left. __MORE:__ [College basketball Friday betting recap](https://www.betchicago.com/college-basketball-betting-recap-march-15) | [Northwestern bad beat vs. Illinois](https://www.betchicago.com/college-basketball-bad-beat-northwestern-illinois-big-ten-tournament-under-bettors) <a href="https://youtu.be/Wk-p6PZLxwk?t=137" class="embedly-card" data-card-width="100%" data-card-controls="0">Embedded content: https://youtu.be/Wk-p6PZLxwk?t=137</a> Now a backdoor cover is very much in play since Florida (19-15, 15-19 ATS) will be looking to score a quick two and Auburn will be trying to avoid a foul. The Gators got a layup and then fouled with six seconds left, sending Harper to the line. And [82 percent free-throw shooter](http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/4066248/jared-harper), Harper made the first, but the second rimmed out for the #badbeat. Even if the free throw had gone in, Florida would've had another opportunity at a backdoor cover. But the officials never blew the whistle despite Andrew Nembhard appearing to be fouled in the waning seconds. <a href="https://youtu.be/Wk-p6PZLxwk?t=155" class="embedly-card" data-card-width="100%" data-card-controls="0">Embedded content: https://youtu.be/Wk-p6PZLxwk?t=155</a> Regardless, Auburn, which had covered four straight games, advanced to Sunday's final, where it'll play No. 8 Tennessee. The total was 132.5, so the game stayed UNDER. Florida has now covered four straight games, but will now have to sweat it out when [the brackets](http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology) are revealed Sunday. ## Duke make cases for No. 1 overall seed with ACC title win vs. Florida State Add another quality win to the Blue Devils' resume...as if they needed any more. A day after downing No. 3 UNC in an instant classic, No. 5 Duke outmatched No. 12 Florida State to win the ACC Tournament title, even covering the 8-point line in its 73-63 win. Zion Williamson led all scorers with 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting, but it was a Tre Jones jumper that snapped a 2:18 scoreless streak for both sides and gave Duke a late 9-point lead to stave off a late Seminole rally. That scoreless streak, in part, kept the game UNDER its 146.5-point total, marking the fourth UNDER in five games for the ACC champions. With Virginia's loss to FSU on Friday and Gonzaga's unlikely defeat to Saint Mary's in its conference tournament, the Blue Devils have a strong case for the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament -- which would only make sense, as Duke has been the overwhelming favorite all year and is priced at +225 at Westgate as of Saturday night. ## Villanova wins Big East title over Seton Hall The Wildcats were favored to become the first team to ever win three straight Big East Tournaments, but Seton Hall (+4.5) gave last year's NCAA champions a run for their money in Saturday's 74-72 'Nova win. Still, a missed three with four seconds left ended the Pirates' chances at a surprise tournament win, leaving their fate in the hands of the committee. Seton Hall is a projected No. 9 seed in ESPN and CBS. ## Iowa State bullies Kansas for Big 12 crown In a year that everything finally fell apart for Kansas, even a conference tournament win wasn't in the cards. Instead, the Cyclones (+1) built an early lead and withstood a late rally for a 78-66 victory, bolstering their NCAA Tournament resume with yet another quality win. Oddsmakers have been on Iowa State all year, offering shorter title odds than many top-25 teams. The Cyclones are 40/1 at Westgate as of late Saturday night. ## Oregon runs away with Pac-12 title over Washington The Ducks (-2) weren't going to leave their fate up to the committee, ripping off a 14-0 run midway through the second half to bury the Huskies in Saturday's 68-48 win in the Pac-12 title game. ESPN's projections had Oregon as one of the "first four out" before the game, but Dana Altman's group secured its way into the Big Dance behind a balanced scoring effort, incredible free-throw shooting (20 of 22) and a dominant defensive display that saw zero Washington players reach double-digit scoring figures. __Big Ten semifinals (in Chicago)__ --Michigan State earned a 67-55 win over Wisconsin as a 5.5-point favorite, and the game stayed UNDER its 128-point total. --Michigan easily dispatched Minnesota in a 76-49 win as a 9-point favorite, though OVER 131.5 bettors have reason to feel jilted with just one point scored in the final 3:30. __SEC semifinals (in Nashville)__ --Despite a strong Kentucky fan presence, hometown Tennessee (+2) upset the second-seeded Wildcats in an 82-78 win to advance to Sunday's final against No. 5 seed Auburn. __Atlantic 10 semifinals (in Brooklyn)__ --St. Bonaventure beat Rhode Island, 68-51, laying 2.5 points. --Saint Louis (+3) destroyed Davidson, 67-44, to meet the Bonnies in Sunday's final. __American Athletic Conference semifinals (in Memphis)__ --Houston (-7.5) survived a scoreless final minute in a 61-58 win over host Memphis. --Cincinnati broke a late tie to outlast Wichita State, 66-63, but couldn't cover the 5-point line. __Ivy League Conference semifinals (in New Haven, Connecticut)__ --Harvard (+1.5) beat Penn, 66-58, in the first Ivy League semifinal at Yale. --Host Yale (-10) won but couldn't cover in an 83-77 Ivy League semifinal win over Princeton. __Sun Belt Conference semifinals (in New Orleans)__ --Georgia State shut down Texas State, 59-46, in what most books had as a pick 'em in the Sun Belt semifinals. --Texas-Arlington (+4.5) nipped Georgia Southern, 67-58, to advance to the Sun Belt Tournament final. __Mid-major tournament finals__ --Buffalo (-11.5) left no doubt in the committee's mind with an 87-73 win over Bowling Green in the MAC Tournament final. --Utah State (-6) outlasted San Diego State, 64-57, to narrowly cover and win the Mountain West title. --Vermont beat UMBC, 66-49, in the America East final as a 10.5-point favorite. --North Carolina Central earned its third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament with a 50-47 upset win at Norfolk State. --Prairie View A&M clinched its first NCAA berth since 1998 with a 92-86 SWAC win over 1.5-point favorite Texas Southern. --Montana clinched its spot in the NCAA Tournament with a 68-62 win over Big Sky foe Eastern Washington -- though bettors were either disturbed or discontent, depending on if they bought the Grizzlies at -6 or -6.5. --Old Dominion (+2) upended Western Kentucky, 62-56, to punch its ticket with an automatic qualifier from Conference-USA. --Abilene Christian (-4.5) laid it on New Orleans in a 77-60 win to claim the Southland crown. --New Mexico State never let up, crushing Grand Canyon in an 89-57 win to cover the 4-point spread and win the WAC title. --UC-Irvine (-9) had no trouble with Fullerton in a 92-64 win in the Big West final. __PLAY:__ Our [free daily contests](https://betchicago.chalkline.com) for the chance to win a BetChicago prize pack.