I would attribute the 75 foot shot more to skill than it seems like you are.
A basketball player will make that shot far sooner and more often than an average Joe.
But that’s not the argument. It’s the skill disparity between players at the D1 level. Which in the tourney, is very minimal.
I actually blame Marquette for that shot, as they didn't try and contest it at all.
Why would you ever contest that shot? Like truly contest it? If you get in the person’s face you risk a foul. Half court at the end of a game to stop a game winning shot? Maybe. But 3/4 court at halftime? That’s such a low probability shot you let it miss like it does probably 99 times out of 100.
As for the rebound to Edey. A fortunate bounce for a 7'4" guy. But then he missed the free throw, so it didn't matter.
What happened after wasn’t the point. Just that it was lucky. (Or fortunate as you say)
My point, is that while luck is involved there is still ways for skills to impact the result..pretty significantly so.
And see, I think we can all get on board that there is a measure of SOME luck. And I’d say skill impacts games way more so than luck. Good teams find ways to overcome a play or two of bad luck.
But when teams are relatively even, and both can put up…say…65 points in a game, that luck in just a FEW plays might help one team score 69 and the other 62.
Simply put, it’s not a binary either/or thing, they are both part of it. And in a single elimination tourney, luck can impact a few plays. And if those few plays just so happened to be vital plays of the game, luck can impact the game.
Done rambling, Happy Thanksgiving all!