BSC Suspends Three Officials

[bearsradio]

Official statement:

The Big Sky Conference has suspended three officials for misapplication of rules, league commissioner Doug Fullerton announced Monday.

Eric Curry, Bob Scofield and Scott Harris will be suspended one game after misapplying rules in Sunday’s men’s basketball game between Montana and Idaho State from Holt Arena in Pocatello, Idaho.

With the score tied 58-58 in the final second, a Montana player called for a timeout after securing a rebound. Television replays confirmed the timeout was recognized by the officials before the final horn. Montana had used its allotment of timeouts, and should have been called for a technical foul, awarding Idaho State two free-throw attempts with time still on the clock. After the technical foul shots, Montana should have taken possession.

The officials, however, ruled that the timeout was recognized simultaneously with the final horn. Since the game was televised, the officials had the option to use replay to determine how much time remained when the timeout was recognized. The officials failed to review the play, and Montana won the game in overtime 73-62.

“We give officials great flexibility to interpret plays within the rules,’’ Fullerton said. “We never allow officials to set aside a rule. We’re not sure whether the game would have ended on the free-throw line, but Idaho State should have been given that opportunity.’’

Per NCAA rule, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Rules Committee does not recognize or allow protests.

 

[bearsradio]

Idaho State's SID filed this report Sunday:

The University of Montana outscored Idaho State 14-5 in overtime to steal a win away from the Bengals 72-63, but no one who was there, or watching television, will remember that part of it. Instead, the game will be remembered for the end of regulation, where a Chris Webber-like timeout by Jordan Hasquet was granted, and then disallowed, putting the game into overtime instead of putting the Bengals to the free throw line with 0.4 left. The tough part is it was all on tape, and it was all reviewable...

It was (Jordan) Hasquet that was around all the controversy. He created the whole mess by drilling a three-pointer with 16.1 left to tie the game at 58. After a timeout, ISU brought the ball up, and Matt Stucki's fade-away three was well short, and Hasquet grabbed the rebound with two ticks left. Hasquet then called for a timeout with 1.2 seconds left, and lead official Eric Curry signaled for the timeout with 0.4 left on the clock, and the clock then expired.

Curry pointed to Hasquet to grant the timeout, and Hasquet dropped his head, knowing his team did not have any timeouts. That should have put the Bengals on the free throw line with 0.4 left, except there was one problem ... the timeout was rescinded. Curry spoke with a pool reporter to explain the decision. "As the time was running down, the player called timeout. It is not when he calls timeout, it's the point of recognition. I recognized he called timeout, I blew my whistle, and it was instantaneous with the horn. In my judgment it's instantaneous. A play like that is not reviewable."

However, according to the 2008 NCAA Rule Book, that play is in fact reviewable. According to Rule 2, Section 13, Article 2, c-2, (page 57) officials can review a play to "determine whether a timing mistake has occurred in either starting or stopping the game clock.", and point c-3 say that officials can review a play to "Determine the correct time to be placed back on the game clock when the referee blows the whistle, signals for the game clock to be stopped, and in his/her judgment time has elapsed before the game clock stopped."

The review would have showed what a national television audience saw, which was the timeout being granted, and ISU would have gotten two free throws with 0.4 left. Interestingly, Montana would have kept the ball and had a chance to inbound for the win.

 

[bearsradio]

Just noting...Scofield was the lead official last Wednesday night when UNC lost to Portland State, as the Vikings were given a steady parade to the free throw line.

 

[Blofeld]

Wow, that's pathetic. After a year and a half in this conference there certainly seems to be this unspoken pro Montana slant built into the fabric of the conference. Not knowing the history I'm sure there's a story behind that.

 

[bearsfan]

That has huge implications for our chances to make it to the BSC tourny too, granted we have to win out to do it, but a loss by Montana would have ment that if they lost out to us and PSU they would be 6-10, and if we swept MSU and UM we would have leapfrogged UM and EWU (assuming EWU loses at PSU, which is very likely) for the #6 spot (both UM and EWU 6-10 UNC 7-9 and take the 6 seed). Now we have to depend on a potential tie breaker with either MSU ISU and/or UM at a log jam at 7-9. Of course non of this matters unless we take care of our end of the deal and win out. Here is the rest of the schedule for teams around us:
4) Montana State 7-7 home PSU/UNC
5) Montana 7-7 home UNC/PSU
6) Idaho State 7-7 @ Sac St and NAU
7) Eastern Wa. 6-9 @ PSU
8 ) UNC 5-9 @ UM/MSU

GO BEARS... and for the rest of the regular season... GO VIKINGS
bearsradio - do you know how they do tiebreakers if there are multiple teams or 2 teams the split during the regular season?

 

[bearsradio]

I don't have those in front of me, but Jon Kasper at the conference has put together this list of who needs what:

Portland State: The Vikings have clinched at least a co-share of the regular-season championship. Portland State will cinch the right to host the tournament with one victory, or a loss by Weber State. Portland State will clinch the title outright with one victory, or losses by Weber State and Northern Arizona.


Northern Arizona: Northern Arizona has clinched a spot in the tournament. Northern Arizona will clinch the No. 2 seed with a victory over Weber State on Thursday. With two victories and three losses by Portland State, Northern Arizona can still share the regular-season title. Northern Arizona can’t host the tournament or gain the No. 1 seed because the Lumberjacks were swept in the regular-season by Portland State.


Weber State: The Wildcats have clinched a spot in the tournament. Weber State could share the league title with two victories, and three losses by Portland State. Weber State has an extremely slim chance of hosting the conference tournament if it ties with Portland State at 11-5, and Montana State finished third. Weber State can clinch the No. 2 seed with a win over Northern Arizona on Thursday.


Montana State: Montana State can clinch a spot in the tournament with victories over Northern Colorado or Portland State. Weber State can finish no worse than third. Montana State can still make the tournament with a 7-9 record. MSU can finish as high as fourth, or out of the tournament.


Montana: The Grizzlies can clinch a spot in the tournament with one more win. Montana plays host to both Northern Colorado and Portland State. Montana can finish as high as fourth or out of the tournament.


Idaho State: The Bengals will clinch a spot in the tournament with one more victory. Idaho State is at Sacramento State and Northern Arizona this week. Idaho State can still advance with a 7-9 record, with losses by Northern Colorado and Eastern Washington. ISU could finish as high as third, or out of the tournament.


Eastern Washington: The Eagles are 6-9 with just one game remaining – Tuesday, March 4 at Portland State. EWU will be eliminated with a loss to Portland State, or will be eliminated with an Idaho State victory. Eastern Washington could not win a tie-breaker against 7-9 Montana or 7-9 Montana State, as the Eagles were swept by both teams. EWU can finish no higher than sixth.


Northern Colorado: The Bears will be eliminated from tournament contention with one loss. UNC is at Montana and Montana State this week. Northern Colorado will also be eliminated if UM, ISU and Montana all earn victories. Northern Colorado could finish no higher than sixth.