Tyce Edney Revels in UCLA’s Historic Moment

It seems the basketball gods had a hand in bringing history to life for Tyce Edney.

Edney, a former UCLA point guard famous for his unforgettable coast-to-coast layup during the 1995 NCAA Tournament, found himself in an unexpected situation on Saturday night. He was in the hotel lobby, cheering and exclaiming “Yay, Barbie!” just seconds after a thrilling game between his old school and Illinois wrapped up.

Specifically, it was the last 4.9 seconds of the game that caught his attention.

Having just wrapped up another game with the Pepperdine team against Oregon State, Edney joined the Bruins’ game just in time to witness a pivotal moment. He was surprised that the Fighting Illini allowed UCLA’s Donovan Dent to receive the ball in the backcourt during the critical play while trailing by a single point in overtime.

“I just couldn’t believe it. Were they really going to let Dent catch that ball?” Edney reflected. “He was deep in the corner, and then suddenly he was off and running.”

What struck Edney even more was how similar Dent’s winning layup was to his own iconic moment against Missouri in the NCAA Tournament. Like Dent, Edney had to maneuver through defenders and faced off against towering opponents at the hoop. He recalled making a tricky bank shot that paved the way to the championship for the Bruins.

Dent didn’t waste much time—just two dribbles took him to midcourt, where he used a screen to evade a defender. He deftly navigated past two more defenders and finished the play with a scoop shot off the backboard, securing a dramatic 95-94 win for UCLA.

When Edney watched Dent score, he couldn’t help but shout “Yay, Barbie!” echoing the words of UCLA radio analyst Marques Johnson from his own time, a fitting connection.

“It was almost poetic to witness,” Edney mused. “It felt like I was hearing my name being called out again.”

Understandably, Edney realized that Dent likely wasn’t familiar with his famous shot—after all, he wasn’t even born yet when it happened. However, Edney did get a chance to see Dent play earlier this season during Pepperdine’s loss to UCLA, and while they haven’t met yet, Edney reached out to Bruins center Stephen Jamerson II to congratulate Dent.

Edney saw the moment as nostalgic. Still, he emphasized that he appreciated coach Mick Cronin’s decision to let Dent take that last shot. “He’s quick—definitely the right choice for the job,” Edney said, reflecting on the significance of the moment.