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Northwestern Beats Vanderbilt for 1st NCAA Tournament Win

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

The Northwestern Wildcats tried to pack a program's worth of March Madness nerves into one game.

Northwestern made the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history this season, and it beat Vanderbilt 68-66 in a thrilling contest that came down to the final seconds. Bryant McIntosh drilled two free throws to take the lead after Vanderbilt's Matthew Fisher-Davis committed an inexcusable foul in the backcourt with his team leading by one.

Riley LaChance then missed a three for Vanderbilt, and the Wildcats clinched their first NCAA tournament win after Vanderbilt's desperation heave didn't fall.