Running 2023-24 NCAA Basketball Thread

Nah. If its a foul, its a foul.

 

Exactly. And if the foul isn’t called and Bueckers hits the game winner, we’re here bitching why wasn’t an offensive foul called.

 

https://x.com/IowaSportsGuy1/status/1776467266797785500

 

The call sucked because of the moment in the game but maybe more because the officiating was gonzo with inconsistencies all night. Phantoms were getting whistled and the obvious were getting no-called (all while the broadcast team said nothing). The crew just picked a very bad time to not let something go.

 

But I don't think we are, not really. I say that because in the 130 years since the game was invented, I remember, well, zero memorable game-winners where there was national outrage over a moving screen going uncalled. And I can guarantee there have been many set on hundreds of buzzer beaters over the decades. In the alternate universe where this isn't called, Iowa folks are probably mad and maybe a comment or two here but no one's going to be that worked up.

I also don't buy the "If it's a foul in the first quarter it's a foul at the end of the game." That's the thing: This ISN'T called all the time. Plays like this go by countless times during a game and no one bats an eye. So to call it in THAT moment? Iowa was called for zero moving screens last night. We really think each and every screen they set was perfect by the letter of the law?

Some high school ref on Twitter last night was taking the high and mighty approach that he's called games and this is ALWAYS a foul and anyone saying it's not has obviously never worn the stripes and doesn't know the game. All right, bud. At the same time, also on my feed, two other high school refs--including one who just worked the state tournament--were saying it was the wrong call. , So...judgment call and in that moment, like many times throughout the course of a game, ref could have easily swallowed the whistle.

There were of course worse missed calls in the game--a first-half drive with a phantom foul, the out of bounds play in the second half--and of course UConn benefited from some too. And I was pulling for UConn so not exactly unbiased. This wasn't like the call to send Rumeal Robinson to the line in the '89 title game. Just think in that moment, no reason to call it.

All that blather aside, thought it was a horrible playcall anyway. Overly convoluted for the moment. Just give it to Bueckers, off night or not, and let her work, maybe with a ball screen. But a week ago I was praising the D2 men's finals with a team running an actual play and not just having the best player dribble out the clock and launch the stepback 3--the go-to play at all levels of hoops now in the final seconds--so maybe it's hypocritical to criticize UConn for actually running a set. Still think there was better way to let Bueckers operate.

I too can't see South Carolina losing...which is the exact thought I had last year so an Iowa win wouldn't surprise me.

 

My favorite uncalled illegal screen: Julius Randle tackling Gordon Hayward on Kobe's final field goal of his career.

I remember this, I'm sure some Jazz fans still whine about it. But it brings up my previous point: There's never widespread angst or anger over illegal screens that lead to winning shots. Let it go!

 

In a perfect world Yes. In the world we live in? Nope.

 

Hate to interrupt the women's chatter with a funny men's tourney tidbit:

 

I don't know what's more on-brand for SJ: declaring the game over in the second quarter, or arguing that an obvious foul wasn't a foul because of timing.

 

My favorite illegal screen story:

Several years ago in my old man hoops league we welcomed a newcomer. This is a low-key, once-a-week, two-hour affair where we just play pickup games to seven throughout the night. There's some good players, some bad ones, and lots of 60-year-olds. A lot is allowed. One guy has caught the ball in the post probably 450 times in the 15 years I've played and has traveled every single time. It's been called zero times, mostly because he carries a career shooting percentage of 8 percent.

So the newcomer is there for our opening week of the year in the fall. I check the ball in to start our campaign. On that very first possession, as I survey the rotund moving bodies but before I have even passed it in from the top of the 3-point line to get us going, the newcomer is screaming, "Moving screen! That's a moving screen!" And he's marching down to the other end of the court. There has never been an offensive foul called in this league, much less a moving screen. 200 illegal screens are set a night. But...he called it. Because it was the right call and you have to make that call regardless of the situation. And since we respect foul calls, we all wandered down to the other end of the court, snickering and bewildered.

Ten minutes later the newcomer stormed out of the gym and out of the school after accusing another player of trying to hurt his elbow on a rebound. He screamed at everyone in the gym, marched over to the sideline, grabbed his stuff and walked out, setting off the school alarm in the process because he went out the wrong door. He never came back.

To top off this tale: This newcomer is a fairly beloved minor celebrity. And I still enjoy his work though I can't watch him without thinking of that moving screen and the storming out.

I have no doubt he loved that call to end the game, happy that the refs showed their courage and did their job by making a call that officials absolutely make 100 percent of the time throughout the game.