If you think officiating in the Big 12 is bad, wait until you see this!

[AdaSooner]

http://www.foxsports.com/college-ba...ouble-overtime-eastern-michigan-eagles-012316

 

[opsooner]

Saw that last night. Really unbelievable. I know refs tend to swallow their whistles at clutch time but this is a perfect example of why that is wrong.

For the record I really don't think Big 12 officiating is bad (even before seeing this).

 

[inoref]

I learned on here that unless your team wins and gets at least 10 more FTA the refs have done a bad job. With the two OU defeats both were in the hands of OU to win.

 

[1390]

When you hear someone say, "you don't want the refs deciding the game"...remember that sequence

 

[DenverSooner]

Refs should call the game the same from start to finish. If you call a to he foul on the first drive to the basket putting a guy on the line, it seems to me those two free throws decide the game just as much as two free throws in the last 10 seconds in a 2 point or less game.

 

[OUReality]

Refs should call the game the same from start to finish. If you call a to he foul on the first drive to the basket putting a guy on the line, it seems to me those two free throws decide the game just as much as two free throws in the last 10 seconds in a 2 point or less game.

I agree with this. That's why I felt the over-the-back call at the end of regulation at Phog Allen giving Lattin the free throws to win the game was a good call. The end of the game should not be an excuse to allow teams get away with fouls they couldn't the entire game.

 

[AdaSooner]

Refs should call the game the same from start to finish. If you call a to he foul on the first drive to the basket putting a guy on the line, it seems to me those two free throws decide the game just as much as two free throws in the last 10 seconds in a 2 point or less game.

I agree with you. But despite an attempt by most officiating crews to be consistent in enforcing the so-called new rules this season, there is still a mindset by some that officials should "let the players decide the game."

Case in point, an official called a blocking foul in the closing seconds of the Nova-Providence game this afternoon, for what in my view was a clear attempt to impede the progress of the offensive player. One of the announcers who didn't like the call said it should have been a "play on at that point of the game."

I realize that's not the way games have been officiated in the past. But, if the NCAA is going to stick to their guns by insisting that officiating crews stay consistent in enforcing the rules from one game to the next in every conference, they have to make the same calls in the last minute of a game as they were making in the first.

I still have my doubts if that will happen?

 

[Soonerinkc]

Wow....I'll NEVER complain about Big12 officials again....(not tonight anyway) lol...

 

[tycat947]

Refs should call the game the same from start to finish. If you call a to he foul on the first drive to the basket putting a guy on the line, it seems to me those two free throws decide the game just as much as two free throws in the last 10 seconds in a 2 point or less game.

EXACTLY! A foul is a foul is a foul....

 

[MsProudSooner]

Two officials from that game have been suspended:

http://www.hustlebelt.com/mac-basketball/2016/1/24/10823028/mac-suspends-referees-ball-state-emu-basketball

 

[Sweetest OU Girl]

Two officials from that game have been suspended:

http://www.hustlebelt.com/mac-basketball/2016/1/24/10823028/mac-suspends-referees-ball-state-emu-basketball

As they should have been, even though I don't think those officials were throwing the game. They just swallowed their whistles and ruined the game.

Most officials are trying to be as fair as possible. The problem with inconsistent officiating is the interest of gambling interests to shave points and fix games.

If you don't think that is an issue to worry about you need to look into what is happening in professional tennis over the past few years - including in the Australian Open just this weekend.

The NCAA and conferences must begin to make problematic calls a public issue. Yes refs will make errors and all of us need to understand that. But when it is clear that officiating favors one team or alters the outcome it must be dealt with. Egregious errors are just not acceptable. Fans have a right to know the NCAA and leagues are watching for problems. Hiding it and pushing it into closed rooms is a way to allow games to be manipulated.

One option would be to force officials to spend time with the media for a few minutes after games - just like coaches have to. Another would be to publicly rate officials showing the number of excellent, really good, acceptable, somewhat bad and really bad calls made.

It will take outside forces to make that happen because officiating is an "old boys club" even with some women calling games now.