NCAA head of officials discusses call from Iowa State’s NCAA tournament loss

Alex Halsted

Before Ohio State’s Aaron Craft hit a game-winning shot to defeat Iowa State in the third round of the NCAA tournament Sunday, there was a disputed charge called against ISU guard Will Clyburn.

Clyburn was called for a charge while scoring a basket with 1:41 remaining in the game and Iowa State leading 75-74. Had a block been called on Ohio State, Clyburn would have scored with a chance at a free throw that could have pushed Iowa State ahead 78-74.

NCAA National Coordinator of Men’s Basketball Officiating, John Adams, told CBS following the game that the wrong call was possibly made on the play:

“You cannot establish legal guarding position standing in the restricted area. On the number of replays we’ve looked at, the case is being made that the defender had his foot up in the air hovering over the restricted area arc. If indeed that was the case, Craft, the defender, would not be in legal guarding position.

“I know they’re doing the best that they can. It might be unreasonable to try to detect that little different between being on the line and lifting your heel; it’s awfully hard to do in real speed. I think all of us have looked at the play a half a dozen times already in slow-motion and I’m still not convinced honestly that his foot was on the line. It probably was, but I haven’t seen really, really good evidence that it is.”