Haley Cavinder got flashy as she helped Miami close in on a stunning March Madness upset.
The senior guard made two clutch free throws with 12 seconds remaining to give the No. 9 seeded Hurricanes a three-point lead in an eventual 70-68 upset of No. 1 Indiana to reach the women’s NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 on Monday night.
Haley dribbled the ball a couple of times, set herself, swished it, and put a finger up to her lips — silencing the crowd.
Haley, along with her twin sister, Hanna Cavinder, has become a popular social media influencer buoyed by her basketball career.
The pair have openly shared their lives as student-athletes, what it’s like to be an influencer, and how to deal with backlash as someone in the public eye.
Haley Cavinder gets ready to shoot her second foul shot in the final seconds of a round of 32 matchup against Indiana.Twitter
Haley Cavinder shushes Indiana as she made her second foul shot, seconds away from a Sweet 16 berth.Haley finished the game with nine points, while Hanna chipped in three points off the bench.
The Cavinder twins celebrated with their Canes teammates inside the locker room, where they blasted NBA YoungBoy’s “Fresh Prince Of Utah” in a TikTok video.
Hanna and other players were seen mouthing the lyrics: “It’s a parade in my city, yeah” — the same line Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant said is his team’s “lingo.”
After Yarden Garzon tied the game with a clutch 3-pointer for the Hoosiers, Miami forward Destiny Harden made a shot in the lane with 3.5 seconds left for a Hurricanes victory.
The win lifted Miami to its first Sweet 16 since 1992.
The Hoosiers (28-4) became the second No. 1 seed to be eliminated in two nights.
Stanford was upset Sunday by Ole Miss, 54-49, on its home court.
It’s the first time since 1998 that two No. 1 seeds did not advance to the regional semifinals.
Haley (left) and Hanna Cavinder celebrate Miami’s win over Indiana.APMiami was coming off a stunning 17-point comeback Saturday against Oklahoma State in the opening round, in which Haley led the team with 16 points.
A year ago, they fell short of eventual champion South Carolina in the second round.
Whenever the tournament ends for Miami, it could be the last time the sisters take the court together.
Haley Cavinder drives to the basket in Miami’s opening-round NCAA Tournament win over Oklahoma State.AP“[Hanna] might not want to play our fifth year, so that’s the only reason,” Haley said on a recent episode of the “BFFs Podcast.”
“I just like to hoop so I was like I want to come back for a fifth year. But Hanna is more like, ‘I want to start my life.’”
While the Hoosiers head home earlier than expected, the Hurricanes head to Greenville, South Carolina, for a showdown with fourth-seeded Villanova, which was ranked No. 10 in the final Associated Press Top 25.
— With Post Wire Services
