That Last Basket

[Lurker]

I was a little disappointed that Nova did not respond to the offering to call it a game that UConn extended by taking the violation. But our players didn't seem bothered and their happiness was obvious at the horn.👍

However, if the next time we play Nova, especially if it's in Madness this year, if UConn wins by 50 and that player who scored at the end is locked down and scores 0, and if there is frostiness between Denise and Geno, then we'll know that our team didn't take kindly to that last second score. Until that time, be happy...we're undefeated and heading into March!! 😁 👍

 

[businesslawyer]

So UConn, already ahead by 42, lets the shot clock run out instead of running a play. With about 5 seconds left, instead of returning the favor, Villanova takes and makes a 3-pointer. Not the classiest decision, but who really cares?
Well...I had happened to see the betting MOV on ESPN prior to the game. It was 40.5! So for everyone who made a bet on the MOV (and there are people who bet on everything), that last basket made winners out of losers and losers out of winners!

Which is why betting on a game with that type of spread is nuts. If you want to pick a winner of a game, go for it. You’re predicting achievement. When you’re predicting whether a team beats a 40 point spread, you’re betting on which team is still going to be playing as hard as it can long after the game has been decided. Good luck with that.

 

[DennieEddy]

So UConn, already ahead by 42, lets the shot clock run out instead of running a play. With about 5 seconds left, instead of returning the favor, Villanova takes and makes a 3-pointer. Not the classiest decision, but who really cares?
Well...I had happened to see the betting MOV on ESPN prior to the game. It was 40.5! So for everyone who made a bet on the MOV (and there are people who bet on everything), that last basket made winners out of losers and losers out of winners!

Probably also affected some / many Boneyard-ers with the Prognosticator's predictions!!

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

I just hope you folks realize how absolutely rare it is for a team that is ahead to take a shot clock violation with time remaining. This is not common - some might not try to score too hard, but very, very few teams dribble it out. I don't think there is anything wrong with taking the violation, but I don't think it is a requirement.

As to the Villanova side, I have rarely seen a team that is behind substantially at the end of a game not take a shot. Again, some might not take a really serious shot and some will, but most take a shot. I don't see what's wrong with that, either.

In the few victories I was at this year Arizona dribbled the last possession out to the end of the game. If it wasn't the end of the game quite, they took a shot. And vice versa for almost every opponent that I remember. If Arizona was behind - even if out of the game - they took a shot on the final possession. The only time the opponent dribbled it out was if the shot clock was off. All this is, in my experience, normal.

 

[TB12]

My spread with Draft Kings was -30.5... so I won..

 

[VaConnFan11]

I actually think it is disrespectful to "stop playing" with more than 30 seconds left. Why not stop at 2 minutes with a 40 point lead? You can't lose.

 

[CL82]

I just hope you folks realize how absolutely rare it is for a team that is ahead to take a shot clock violation with time remaining. This is not common...The only time the opponent dribbled it out was if the shot clock was off.

Dribbling out the clock with a large lead when the shot clock has stopped is an unwritten rule showing respect for your opponent by not "running up the score." Doing it when there are less than two full possessions less is less common, but I've seen it before. We've done it at leasta couple of times this season.

 

[cabbie191]

I was surprised that we dribbled out with more than 30 seconds left, and I'm not surprised or shocked that Villanova took the last shot.

Can't say that I'm unhappy about this though. With the made 3, I wound up with a winning MOV on our board's Prognosticator's Predictions. I'm still waiting for MSGRET to send me my check!