Thanks, refs, for helping KU beat Iowa State
Yael T. AbouhalkahIowa State defeated the highly ranked Kansas basketball team Monday night in Ames, Iowa.
At least, that’s what the mad-as-hell Cyclones’ fans think today.
However, thanks to crucial mistakes by the referees, KU escaped with a 108-96 overtime victory.
Now, spoiled KU fans (like me) aren’t going to easily admit that the refs’ miscues were responsible for the Jayhawks’ amazing comeback in the final seconds of that game.
But, uh, they were (along with yet another last-minute meltdown by Iowa State in a close game).
Let’s have the Big 12 Conference set the record straight. Here’s the “only public statement by the conference on the matter,” released Tuesday afternoon.
“The Big 12 Conference acknowledges that officiating errors were made at the end of regulation during last night’s Kansas at Iowa State men’s basketball game. The plays have been reviewed and appropriate measures will be taken by the Coordinator of Men’s Basketball Officials to adjust the number of future assignments for the two officials involved in conjunction with Conference policies.”
The errors - such as not calling a foul on KU’s hard-charging Elijah Johnson in the final seconds or not calling KU’s Jeff Withey for a fifth and disqualifying foul a bit earlier - irritated a lot of Iowa State fans but also national sports writers watching the game on ESPN.
Yahoo’s Pat Forde tweeted: “Bert Smith and Tom O’Neill should be suspended by Big 12 for outright incompetence after robbing Cyclones.”
The Big 12 notice didn’t say anything about suspensions, but you can bet it’s likely these two refs won’t be working marquee games for a while.
Oh, and then there was this last-second overtime dunk by Johnson.
Yikes. KU will have an extra-tough road trip to Ames in 2014.
Kent Mueller
2 months, 3 weeks agoThis wasn’t just about KU and Iowa State. Had the refs gotten the call right, K-State would be in control of its own destiny. Three wins, including at O-State, and KSU would have the title. Also, if O-State would win out, they would have had a tie with KU. So, two other schools were affected quite significantly.
The game affected Iowa State even more than this game. The loss could put them on the down side of the bubble of getting into the NCAA tournament. A win probably would have gotten them in.
How do we know the ref blew the call on Withey? They best indicator of a foul is when a player walks off the court knowing he had just committed his fifth foul. That should be very embarrassing for the refs to have to tell him that he was still in the game. And to think, even after that, Niang was taken out by a runaway freight train in the paint for a no-call.
I’ve seen some bad high school officiating, but that was pathetic.
Mike Henggeler
2 months, 3 weeks agoNot defending either call, but it is disingenuous to think that “bad” calls at the end of a game are more important than “bad” calls early or in the middle. They all affect the outcome.
These refs are all highly-tenured and there is nothing to suggest that they are biased. I would much rather let the game be human, including the occasional officiating error, than have it ruined the way the NFL is sabotaging its product with an overabundance of replay in an attempt to make the results “perfect”.
Kent Mueller
2 months, 3 weeks agoMike, I don’t know anyone who has said the refs were biased. What is being said is that the calls was the end were wrong. And while bad calls earlier in the game have their effects, it is different at the end of the game. You have the opportunity to recover from earlier calls, even if it’s by having another bad call your way. Also, the game adjusts to the new situation. There is no opportunity to recover from bad calls at the end of the game. If those calls are no different than earlier calls, then why did the Big 12 issue a statement that only alluded to the last calls? It’s rare when a conference makes a statement like that.
Matthew Nugent
2 months, 3 weeks agoSure there was time to recover, because that wasn’t the end of the game. They played an overtime.
I wonder if there had been any investigation at all if ISU had pulled the game out in OT. The narrative would have been that the “right” team persevered and won. And the Big 12 would be happy to ignore the whole thing.
Kent Mueller
2 months, 3 weeks agoMatthew…geezzz….I really don’t think there would have been an overtime if not for the bad reffing at the end of regulation. Pretty much everyone agrees with that.
Investigation? What investigation? There wasn’t an investigation. The only thing that occurred was that the Big 12, in its oversight capacity, reviews every play of every game for officiating quality. Nothing special. That happens for every game. What was different this time was that the reffing was so poor and affected the outcome, that the conference issued the statement that the calls at the end were wrong.
Matthew..do you feel a bit persecuted for being a Jayhawk? You think the Big 12 is our to get you? lol
Mike Henggeler
2 months, 3 weeks agoKent, pursuing your theory, it is possible that the “bad” calls at the end of the game were some cosmic way of evening out earlier “bad” calls? No, it’s not different at the end of the game. Every minute counts the same, every possession counts the same. Say a team wins the game on a shot at the buzzer…what would that shot have meant if any of that team’s earlier made shots had been missed?
I can’t account for the Big 12’s actions. I have no problem with their statement. I just wish the games were played the way they used to be, without so much hyper-analysis. At some point it isn’t a game anymore, and everyone loses then.
Johnn Beuscher
2 months, 2 weeks agoIf anyone wants to complain, first think of these game facts before opening your mouth: 1) Live by the 3, die by the 3…..ISU shot 41 times from 3-point range…..41!!! They only made 17 = 41%! 2) ISU allowed KU to score 90 points in regulation and 108 points in all……where was the defense?? KU was able to drive to the basket the whole game! 3) Speaking of Defense - shouldn’t ISU have put someone on E.Johnson or even tried to make an adjustment to his over-the-top shooting night?? 4) KU owned the boards taking 41 rebounds to ISUs 31 5) ISU took 111 shots making 42 for a 38% efficiency while KU took 93 shots making 50 for a 54% efficiency……..KU just shot better! 6) ISU was worn out and being run into the court before the end of regulation, they just couldn’t keep up with a more athletic team. They played the last 3 minutes of regulation almost completely flatfooted and only got bursts of energy when someone hit a 3 pointer. ISU was gassed! Forget OT!!! 7) Yes, the officiating was horrible the whole game and the two most obvious and flagrantly wrong calls for KU were at the end - but I would also argue the obvious and flagrant calls for ISU during the game had just as much effect because it caused KU to adjust players, defense and offense earlier than ISU.
What no-one wants to admit is ISU Magic was exposed as Three-Card-Monte and people would rather cry about the officials than admit they were just owned by a better team. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=330560066
Kent Mueller
2 months, 2 weeks agoHey, John. You made it way too easy to respond.
First, let’s look at your first “game fact”. You laughed at ISU living and dying by the three. Your proof is that they shot 41 3’s!!!! OMG….and they only made 17? OMG…..and that is only 41%? OMG….. Let’s all laugh together. But, we wouldn’t be laughing at ISU. We would be laughing at you. If you knew what you were talking about, you would know that only 4 teams in the entire NCAA D1 shoot better than 41% from three point range for the season. And KU isn’t one of them. If you shoot 41% from three point range, that is the equivalent of shooting 61.5% from two point range because of the extra point per make. KU is a very, very good team. They make 35.9% of their 3’s, which is pretty damn good even thought that is 81st in the NCAA.
You lost all credibility when you state that first “game fact”.
You also laughed at ISU’s defense giving up 90 in regulation. But, KU gave up 90 in regulation, how do you reconcile that?
You KU drove past ISU to the bucket all night. Well, that was the issue on one of the last plays. Johnson drove right THROUGH ISU on the way to the basket for one of the most horrible no calls of the year. It’s funny you pointed out KU’s driving to the basket, given what the game ending issue was about.
Do you want to further discuss how horrible it is to shoot 41% from three point range? I’ll discuss that with you any time.
Mike Henggeler
2 months, 2 weeks agoIowa State benefited from more fouls being called on KU and thus got more free throws resulting in several more points. So they have no complaints there. They shot very well from 3-point range but, if I recall correctly, their percentage dropped drastically late in the game—probably from fatigue if their legs were going. So they were sort of playing over their heads and then it leveled out on them. Otherwise, Kansas outshot, outrebounded and basically outplayed Iowa State in a very tough environment (I don’t think Danny Manning ever won at Hilton). They are a good team. I am disappointed in their fans, though. They used to be pretty classy.
Kent Mueller
2 months, 2 weeks agoMike, you said “they only made 17 = 41%!!!!” three point shots. That is shooting quite well. What were you talking about?
Mike Henggeler
2 months, 2 weeks agoKent, a better question is what are YOU talking about? I never said any such thing in my posts. What I DID say is that it is my belief that Iowa State’s 3-point % dropped off sharply late in the game (I thought I saw that at one point they were 14-29…if correct, they finished 3-12, a much ore mortal effort). The rest of my point was that Iowa State got more calls than Kansas did and, despite their 3-point shooting prowess, was outplayed in all other facets of the game and lost. They’re a good team but they were not robbed.
Kent Mueller
2 months, 2 weeks agoCome on, Mike. Really? You just said…”What I DID say is that it is my belief that Iowa State’s 3-point % dropped off sharply late in the game”.
Please, don’t say things like that when all we have to do is look up to your original post to see that you did not say that. I quoted you accurately twice now. You lampooned Iowa State for making only 41% of their 3 point shots. Yes you did. If you don’t want to reread what you wrote, then everyone else is doing so. Please, don’t try to say you said something you didn’t say or didn’t say something you did say when your original comment is still there for everyone to read.
You even put an exclamation mark after saying they “only” made 41%. That means…..you really meant it!!!!!! lmao!!!
Mike Henggeler
2 months, 2 weeks agoKent…seriously, you are not reading correctly. You are picking out things said by Johnn Beuscher, not me. Can you not see the lines between the posts?
My first post said nothing about percentages. My second post said nothing about percentages. My third post said the following: “They shot very well from 3-point range but, if I recall correctly, their percentage dropped drastically late in the game—probably from fatigue if their legs were going. So they were sort of playing over their heads and then it leveled out on them.” Those are my only 3 posts PRIOR to you trying to attribute someone else’s comments to me. Even in my 4th post I did not say anything remotely similar to what you think I said. Come on, pay attention. You are the one embarrassing yourself here.
Kent Mueller
2 months, 2 weeks agoMike, unlike referees and many others, I admit my mistakes. I confused your names and and I apologize.
Mike Henggeler
2 months, 2 weeks agoIt’s cool, Kent. Have a good day!
Custom Kitchen Bath
2 months agozebras favor the hawks
zebras on the take
the zebras have been a crutch for the hawks
for decades