All SEC Championship Game coming up. If SC Men can win tomorrow, it will be the men and women’s team playing for the championship. Has that ever happened in the same year?
Officials tried to gift it to UCONN. With about 50 seconds remaining, UCONN was down by two with the ball. Ran a high-low play, but the pass over the top was deflected by MSU defender. At the same time, the low post UCONN player and her MSU defender got tangled up while expecting the pass. The MSU defender reached up, and her arm went to the neck area of the UCONN player. Since the entry pass was deflected, it never got near the low post. UCONN player went down to the floor, but no whistle even though an official was looking directly at the contact. MSU takes the ball after deflected pass back down the floor with approximately 40 seconds left, runs their offense, but missed a three-pointer early in the shot clock. UCONN rebounds the ball, then dribbles to their timeline and calls timeout with about 25 seconds left.
The officials went to the table and reviewed the play where the MSU and UCONN players got tangled up, even though it was two possessions prior. They ended up calling MSU defender for a Flagrant 1, which awarded UCONN two free throws and the ball. UCONN player sank both free throws, but MSU was able to hold them on the subsequent possession, then hit the game-winner as time expired on the other end.
When looking at the replay, it sure appeared that both players were merely making a play for the ball. The MSU defenders arm went up as she was expecting the entry pass. At no point did the contact to neck area look intentional. MSU coach was beside himself when learning of the Flagrant 1 call. Understandable, considering that UCONN could have won the game had it managed the clock correctly. Make the two free throws, then hold the ball for last shot. For some reason, the UCONN player went to drive with about 15 seconds left, even though shot clock was off. If she had just waited another 10 seconds, they either win or go to second OT.
There probably needs to be some sort of adjustment to the Flagrant 1 call that does not award free throws AND the ball if additional possessions have occurred since the foul. The fouled team’s coach could choose which it wants, free throw OR the ball, but not both. It sure gave UCONN a big advantage. They just didn’t manage it correctly after.
The contact with the neck was definitely not intentional. That is why they called it Flagrant 1. If it was intentional, it would be Flagrant 2.
I do agree that there is a problem with making this call few possessions later. The team on the wrong end of it will always view it as refs robbing them. But at the same time, I don’t know if it is fair for the refs to stop the play when MSU had the ball and were headed down the court. If they had stopped the play to review, MSU would feel that took away a sure 2 on a fast break. Not sure what the right thing to do is.
I thought the ruling if it wasn’t intentional would be a common foul, or contact in the normal action of play. I thought what took it to level 2 was excessive force. For instance, the call against Moses Kingsley in the Florida game this season where he turned and went up for a shot but was called for an offensive foul was a common one. They reviewed and didn’t deem it Flagrant 1. (I don’t even think it should’ve been an offensive foul on Moses, but that’s a different argument).
I thought it was a “no call”. The contact was minimal at best… a graze. But that Player from UConn must watch a LOT of Futbol because that was an Epic Flop! Her overreaction was pathetic at best but it gave the establishment a reason to take the game away Miss State. And they still couldn’t win it… Loved it. :lol:
