Saturday night, Oklahoma State vs. UNLV. Verne Harris, Scott Thornley, Steve Welmer. (By the way, the game finishes in Vegas at midnight eastern, and Welmer is doing an Ohio State home game the next afternoon. Mix in some sleep, big guy!) OSU steals and goes in for a layup opposite the table, and Harris sprints back and calls an intentional foul on UNLV. Great call, too. Then, instead of staying tableside after reporting the foul, he goes opposite, Thornley administers free throws, and Welmer lends his ear to UNLV coach Lon Kruger.
Proper mechanics say that Harris should stay tableside. However, it's obvious these guys pre-gamed this situation, and while it was still obviously a cut-and-dry intentional foul, they still did this rotation.
Personally, I loved it. I wish the NCAA would go back to having the reporting official go opposite. I understand both sides of it, but I feel it does more good NOT to have the calling official right by the coach. I feel more bad things can happen right next to the coach. If you're opposite, your partner(s) will undoubtedly have an easier job listening and settling the coach down.
Good job by the crew.
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