theathletic.com
I think that's mostly fans and some media stirring the pot.
Yeah, this one really gets me. Play happens right in front of a ref who doesn't blow a whistle, and another ref who couldn't even see it clearly makes a call. Absolutely nonsensical.
Something I think could be monitored is how a specific ref's calls change after halftime.
"Finesse" is the right word, and it's being replaced more and more with the men's game's reliance on power and muscle, becoming more and more a contact sport—more grabbing, holding, bodying up, and other forms of contact— less and less an exercise in finesse, timing, etc. It was particularly visible this season as I watched our team collect bruises, sprains, concussions, etc. It's not entirely new: ask Diana T how much she got held and bounced around and bruised trying to cut through opponents' defenses. Happened to Maya also when one of the Ogwumike sisters clamped her in a lock-down embrace for an entire first half that ended with a 20-12 score. Ugly, high-contact, and not much of what I consider real basketball.
Speaking of hockey... I enjoy the finesse play of women's college hockey.. note the "Bean Pot" tournament
If you notice in this 32 second video when Angel explains why she gave Clark the hand, all of the female announcers are laughing right along with her, and at the end one says "To the victors goes the spoils" as if that was a justification.
Only certain things can be reviewed. I was referring to reviewing any play and if the refs see a foul which they missed, I would allow them to call it after the review. Or reverse a foul call if it were the wrong call.
It was a disgrace, an abomination, and the worst officiated championship game, men or women in NCAA history. It was a moment for women's basketball to become ingrained in the national consciousness and instead the NCAA decided to do what they did instead of going through a thorough process and look at what happened? I wish the media really does an investigation about the disparity between mens and womens officials in college basketball. They will find blatant sexism at play. At some point, someone will ask Congress to intervene when the injury levels continue and a Senator's or Congresswomen's daughter gets beat up in a game due to weak officials. Then the NCAA will actually do something.
The only review that I have seen that is called by a coach is The Restricted Zone violation. There could be others but this is the only review that I have seen that a coach requested.
While they deserved to win and might have won anyway, they clearly benefited from one of those rare days where 30-35% shooters suddenly shoot 45-55% or higher! It doesn’t happen often, even less often does it involve multiple players on the same team, less often still, does this happen in a National Championship game! Again, not taking anything away from LSU but let’s face it, all the stars came together for them on Sunday. Shooting, bad officiating, their own good play and willingness/ability to take advantage of “the“ moment all came together for the Tigers! Almost every national champion benefits from a bit of good fortune (and some lose anyway as they squander the opportunity by choking it away) and LSU, to their credit, took full advantage of theirs!
() and therefore had no dog in the fight still about to a person what the officiating was awful! I watched the game with 3 friends who all were shocked by how bad it was and who all thought it would not happen in a men's game. All the stars spent (or should have spent) large portions of the game on the bench. Iowa plays poor defense normally but when 3 of their players on the floor have 3 fould what else can they do? In a championship no less. I am not implying that the calls favored LSU - they were awful on both sides. As has been mentioned get the officiating team together before the game, decide how it is to be called, decide who is responsible for the calls in which area, and do tht consistently throughout the entire game. Notice that the men's final has had no mention about the officials that I have seen. They were invisible except when something obvious happened. The players decided the outcome of the game.
Reese, with all my dislike of her demeaner r,,,,,is a rare talent. Mulkey, won it ALL via a soft schedule---which says--get THERE any way you can!! NOTHING Mulkey do I like, but she recruits against the norm.
