Again, tape doesn't lie

[Pony in SA]

Remarkable season so honored to be able to make the efforts to get up for the games with my son, experience with great friends new Moody, thank you LB and all the players who made it possible !

The officiating did NOT cause us to lose this game. Officials missed a lot of things both ways, but I watched the DVR at lunch and we really beat ourselves in this one. The tape shows too many unforced turnovers, really caused by nothing they even did. Knight even commented during the broadcast how bad they were on defense, moving their feet, etc. That is most frustrating, you can see we literally beat ourselves on possessions where they have no effect on what we are doing. Friends were texting me same thing during game.

I think if same teams play 10 times we win 7 or 8 of them easily. They only beat us by 2 points and we missed free throws, Kennedy was 1 for 6 first half missing little ones he usually makes, and they had to have their senior guard shoot 75% (and 50% from 3 point land) to get us. Give them credit for hitting shots but we were bad defensively in spots also.

The last 3 pointer it is clear on tape we had 3 guys for some reason going to their guy in the post, and then as a result Brown was late closing on their shooter. Why we would leave the guy who has been killing us all night I'll never know. Now it is clear on the tape the kid was out of bounds on the baseline (his one foot is forced because of where Nic's is out of bounds, the other is actually up in the air) but I don't fault the refs for missing it. We should have still been in better defensive position and never put ourselves in that position.

What still bothers me when you watch it is the one official who goes out of his way to shake Pitino's hand in the stands, that player sitting by him, and wave/reach out to Pitino's wife. I would think official should be focused on the game. I also think the way Pitino yells Richard after the time out, then tells him you need to foul when Richard looks into the stands, instead of letting his kid run his team is bad. It should have been about his son, but Pitino is not that way as his personal failings have shown. He may coach, but personally he is not someone to admire.

Other bothered me also was when you watch it again is how well our seniors played and to have them go out a little short is frustrating. Shawn played really well offensively, and you forget how big a shot Nic Russell hit to get it tied at 57 (it was not an easy 3). Would have been cool for us to pull it out with Nic's shot tying it up there at the end, and then maybe Shawn getting a game winner.

Still amazing season and just so blessed to be small part of it. Looking forward to the future...

[mrydel]

The commentators explained that against FSU Rich did not foul at the end and FSU hit a 3 and almost ended up with the victory. Rick said afterwards he would foul and Rich said he was averse to fouling. When the same situation came up against us, I would imagine there were more than just Rick yelling to foul. It was the smart play and I would say Rich learned more from experience than from dad.

[ojaipony]

On a side note, that woman to Rick's left had more plastic in her face than my daughter's barbie doll. Not a good look.

[peruna11]

Speaking of the tape not lying... Tied 59-59, steps on the line (no call), kicks out for the dagger 3 that put us away.

No excuses - we should never have let them back in, but it still hurts.

[mrydel]

Thought it was Joan Rivers at first.

[GiddyUp]

Speaking of the tape not lying... Tied 59-59, steps on the line (no call), kicks out for the dagger 3 that put us away.

No excuses - we should never have let them back in, but it still hurts.

wow, that is a bad miss - but yes the officials didn't cause us to lose. I saw many many non-foul calls the first half.

[mrydel]

Speaking of the tape not lying... Tied 59-59, steps on the line (no call), kicks out for the dagger 3 that put us away.

No excuses - we should never have let them back in, but it still hurts.

Sure looks telling and the official is right there. Could be the foot was off the ground and only the toe touching, but in that picture it looks pretty much OB.

[LA_Mustang]

Great pic. The ref is looking right at him? That following three did decide the game.

[ojaipony]

I'm not going to blame the officials either, but we were getting hammered at the rim especially in the first half and a lot of noncalls.

Again, it's depressing not because we got beat but because we beat ourselves and I REALLY felt our team had turned a corner after the NCAA snub on how to overcome adversity. This time it was ourselves creating the adversity.

LB said it best . . . something along the lines of "we don't know how to handle prosperity".

Maybe the best thing for us would have been to have been down 10 at half. 3 was too few and we got up ahead too soon. should have gone up 7 with 2-3 minutes left, not at the 5-6 minute mark . . . too soon.

[mrydel]

Official is probably looking for a Nic Moore foul.

[sadderbudweiser]

We watched the replay shown from a different (lower...floor) angle on the big screen at the game. When it happened it really did appear he was out...we all yelled about it immediately. But when the replay came on the screen we all agreed he was in. But no review? I guess you can't review a "no-call?" If he had called him out and whisteld it they could have reviewed?

[peruna11]

Great pic. The ref is looking right at him? That following three did decide the game.

You can't tell from the pic, but he is looking more across the baseline where the action was headed rather than right at the play. He never saw it.

[Pony ^]

the bar I was at went insane when he stepped out and it wasn't called.

[Hoop Fan]

he was definitely out of bounds. The ref was not looking down, which is his mistake because he really is the baseline ref so that is his number one job, have no idea what he was looking at. Bad miss. Frankly i wonder if it was reviewable. All deflections out of bounds in the last two minutes are reviewable because by definition there is a dead ball whistle. Here there was no stoppage of play or dead ball whistle. However, foot on the line three pointers are always reviewable and reversible during the game. I wonder if Larry could have asked for a replay and reset of the clock. In any case, the call should have been made. I guess that ref was too busy sucking up to Pitino Sr.

[StallionsModelT]

Great shot. Clearly OOB.