March 29, 2024
Score one for controversial calls as underdog San Diego State advanced to the Final Four on Sunday by defeating Creighton in the NCAA Tournament East Region final at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky. The game was tied at 56 when the Aztecs' Darrion Trammell threw up a jump shot...

Score one for controversial calls as underdog San Diego State advanced to the Final Four on Sunday by defeating Creighton in the NCAA Tournament East Region final at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

The game was tied at 56 when the Aztecs’ Darrion Trammell threw up a jump shot that clanged off the rim. Time appeared to run out, with the game to be decided in overtime.

That is, until the sound of the whistle signified that San Diego State would have one final chance.

Creighton guard Ryan Nembhard was called for a foul for having his left hand on Trammell’s right hip.

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Bluejays coach Greg McDermott argued the call but lost. The clock was set to 1.2 seconds.

Trammell made one of the two free throws to give San Diego State a 57-56 win.

Did the refs make the right call?

Yes: 29% (2 Votes)

No: 71% (5 Votes)

Creighton tried for a last-second miracle, but the ball bounced out of bounds. At first, there appeared to be still a fraction of a second left, but officials ruled the game was over, as were the Bluejays’ hopes for an NCAA title.

“I wasn’t given an explanation [on the clock ruling],” McDermott said afterward, according to the Sporting News. “They just didn’t think there was any time left. There was no call on the floor on whose ball it was. I’m not sure what they were reviewing.”

“Two teams played their tails off. Officiating is part of the game,” he added. “And we’re not going to go there. We lost the game because we didn’t do enough.”

Nembhard said his team could have avoided the last-second drama.

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“It’s a tough feeling. You work so hard all year and then it comes down to a play like that,” Nembhard said. “I think we could have done a little more to make it a game that it didn’t have to go down to that. But it’s a tough way to lose.”

Opinions of the late foul call flowed on Twitter, with many agreeing with the poster who wrote, “Can’t call that in that moment knowing you let them play all game. Ref made a mistake.”

San Diego State will play Florida Atlantic on Saturday night at NRG Stadium in Houston. Afterward, Miami will take on Connecticut in the other semifinal.