I didn’t notice that. I thought it was fairly decent, honestly.
Well we can agree to disagree. For UCONN here are a few -- the main issue being the refs affected the flow of the game by forcing a certain style of play all-the-while focused on granting miniscule fouls and missing more blatant/obvious ones.
1st Qtr- Two players reached down on Liv in the paint- one or both fouled her -but she got called for an O-Foul.
1st qtr-- 6:23 Pert-Lane drives left - off-balance takes a sideways runner - happens to dip her should into Paige and flys to the ground as if she got clobbered. The wind could probably clobber her. Anyway, not a foul. She's just so small. Taking a sideways jump shot off-balance dipping your shoulder - you should not get rewarded.
2nd Qtr-- 8:59 freeze the video. Paige going up for a layup - shot is contested by the the center- - Paige goes to the ground-- how is there not any body contact? She just fell on her own? When Pert falls there's usually a foul. Yet a 6 foot guard falls and nothing? Maybe -- but -- anyhow, -- see how that center is contesting that shot then immediately Paige falls down. Granted this one is "iffy" but extremely, extremely doubtful that there was no contact. It's not like that center was some gifted athlete able to control her body as she is reaching across her shoulder with her right hand trying to block Paige's shot. Paige is right handed too- so she has to reach across her won body and across half of Paige's body while avoiding Edwards.
2nd qtr-- 7:49 - UCONN up 29-15 Pert drives the lane- leans/leaps a bit of her body into Paige-- the ref didn't even immediately make the call - a delayed call -- for a reason it was delayed- the contact so miniscule. The contact there was so little - Pert is throwing the ball almost over her shoulder just trying to get a call. With all the miniscule contact that was a play-on.
2nd qtr- - about 1 minute left -- If the play above was not a play-on but a legit foul - then how was the play I mentioned above in 1st qtr with Liv- in which two players reaching in- not a foul on either of them? To further this point--
how is it when CWilliams caught the pass with 1 minute left- in the lane - two players imo fouled her- announcers even said so-- obvious foul-- how was that not a foul?
3rd qtr-- To further this point - pick-and-roll- Paige passes to Liv. Seton Hall player swipes down and hits Liv on the elbow-- no call. You can see on the replay at the 7:00 - 7:05 mark in which Meg is talking about the success of the play-- she is highlighting it- but you can clearly see the player hitting/swiping down on Liv on the elbow as Liv goes up. It's why Liv ended up "clutching" before she scored.
3rd qtr-- 6:19 mark Pert draws 3rd foul on Paige as she does an off-balance runner in the lane. Where's the contact?
This kid Pert- she gets inside - she is so small and she takes these off-balance shots of course she is going to hit the ground.
The wind from the other players might send her sprawling to the ground- she is so small! I'm just having fun- of course with this comment. But imo THREE fouls like that on Paige didn't belong in a high class division 1 basketball game. I love the kid Pert's heart but those were miniscule touches. You call like that then you got to call the other side that type of tight too.
In summary what happened here was that UCONN was forced to go into a zone after that. Because for the most part if Pert got into the lane UCONN had to keep a certain distance from her for fear she'd get a call for an exaggerated, miniscule contact that should be play-on. You keep away from her then she can get off her inside floaters more easily. These refs affected the game in a manner that shouldn't have been.
If the exaggerated contact was to be expected, then why no call for Liv when she got hit in 1st qtr? In 2nd qtr why no call for Williams with about 1 minute left? Why no call for Liv in 3rd qtr on the pick-n-roll? I was previously taught back in the 1800's when I played- that when you reach in, especially come down on another player, you are going to get called. -- It obvious. Just like the refs made the call on CWilliams with about 4:20 left in the 3rd. The reach in was obvious.
So they picked up the reach in from CWill even though it didn't affect the play much- but okay it was a foul- yet they missed the obvious ones I just explained? In fact-- all three imo were more fouls than any of Perts fouls she put on Paige as she hit the ground. Yet to further that point -- the 6 foot Paige goes down to the ground as I mentioned above on her own with no foul? Ohh and by the way, that same center who probably fouled Paige - a few seconds later that same center -- doesn't even make a competent defensive basketball move - and dips her shoulder into Liv and commits a foul.
Anyways UCONN won- I'm happy. I never thought game in doubt so it's easy not to get worked up-- it's just that I disagree- I think the refs were pathetic. They forced UCONN's hand by granting miniscule contact at one end - and not near as much on the other.
