I turned on MSST vs UConn because the game entered overtime. I know, I'll probably be ostracized for admitting this. First and probably the last time I'll watch women's hoops. Late in an uninspiring overtime period, MSST leads 64-62 and UConn has the ball with about a minute to play after calling timeout to setup a play.
UConn player rolls to the basket and is knocked down to the baseline, refs swallow the whistle and play continues. It was clearly a foul but in real time you might miss it as incidental contact. MSST runs a crappy possession, taking and missing a corner 3 that was unnecessary given the game situation.
UConn gets the ball back and calls timeout with 26.6 seconds left, to setup a tying or winning shot. Now it gets weird. The play by play announcers insist the missed foul was a flagrant 1, and the refs take a few minutes to review (legally at a break in play). Now I know refs always want to "get it right" but how does calling a flagrant 1 AFTER an ensuing possession work? IMO that shouldn't be an option in the rulebook, although you could argue something like a player throwing a punch should be reviewable as cause for ejection.
In the end, they did call the flagrant 1 and the UConn player sank 2 free throws. (The MSST head coach was angry but held back by his staff.) UConn retained possession with the chance to win the game but they fucked that up too. The game did end on a clutch buzzer beater by a 5-foot-5 MSST player, which was the highlight of overtime, easily.
The announcers then breathlessly mouthed that this was an instant classic, when all I saw was crappy play capped by a great shot. Just because the stakes are high and the game is close doesn't mean that the level of play is any good. Maybe UConn was gassed but they looked terrible for a team that's part of a 4 year dynasty, and often blows out opponents by a few dozen points.
For the record, I'm not trying to sound like a misogynist.
UConn player rolls to the basket and is knocked down to the baseline, refs swallow the whistle and play continues. It was clearly a foul but in real time you might miss it as incidental contact. MSST runs a crappy possession, taking and missing a corner 3 that was unnecessary given the game situation.
UConn gets the ball back and calls timeout with 26.6 seconds left, to setup a tying or winning shot. Now it gets weird. The play by play announcers insist the missed foul was a flagrant 1, and the refs take a few minutes to review (legally at a break in play). Now I know refs always want to "get it right" but how does calling a flagrant 1 AFTER an ensuing possession work? IMO that shouldn't be an option in the rulebook, although you could argue something like a player throwing a punch should be reviewable as cause for ejection.
In the end, they did call the flagrant 1 and the UConn player sank 2 free throws. (The MSST head coach was angry but held back by his staff.) UConn retained possession with the chance to win the game but they fucked that up too. The game did end on a clutch buzzer beater by a 5-foot-5 MSST player, which was the highlight of overtime, easily.
The announcers then breathlessly mouthed that this was an instant classic, when all I saw was crappy play capped by a great shot. Just because the stakes are high and the game is close doesn't mean that the level of play is any good. Maybe UConn was gassed but they looked terrible for a team that's part of a 4 year dynasty, and often blows out opponents by a few dozen points.
For the record, I'm not trying to sound like a misogynist.
Facebook
Twitter