Baylor awarded place in Final Four

[Nevadaref]

Thursday, April 1, 2004

Associated Press

NORMAN, Okla. -- Kim Mulkey-Robertson remembers how she felt when she first got the word this morning from AD Ian McCaw that the NCAA Women's Basketball Committee had awarded her Baylor team a spot in this year's Final Four.

"Just unbelievable! That was all I could think," Mulkey-Robertson told AP reporters.

Baylor wanted an explanation from the NCAA and they got one.

The Bears wanted to know why officials reviewed replays of the final seconds of their loss to Tennessee in the Midwest Regional on Sunday night, put time back on the clock and gave the Lady Vols what proved to be two game-winning free throws.

"Baylor University has been in communication with the Big 12 Conference and the two parties will jointly request a review and clarification of the events surrounding the controversial finish of Sunday night's Baylor-Tennessee game from the NCAA women's basketball championship committee," Baylor athletic director Ian McCaw said Monday.

Today that plea was answered with a decision by NCAA Committee members who reviewed the ending of Baylor's Sweet 16 game, in which Tasha Butts hit two free throws after a questionable call with 0.2 seconds left to give top-seeded Tennessee a 71-69 victory over Baylor in the Midwest Regional semifinals last Sunday night.

Baylor coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson said it might be the most bizarre finish she has ever been a part of.

"I don't know that I've been involved in one where the game was over and they put time back on the clock and they shot free throws," Mulkey-Robertson said.

Even her coaching counterpart expressed disappointment in the finish.

"I hate to see a good game end like that," Summitt said. "Tonight was a situation where there were a lot of calls everybody is on edge about."

"We just felt that the ending was wrong. No game should end like that in the NCAA tournament. We didn't like it, the coaches didn't like it, and the fans didn't like it," said an NCAA spokeswoman. "We did this for the fans. They are our primary concern and what they think is the most important thing."

Mulkey-Robertson left with a big smile and a final comment, "Everything is right now thanks to the Committee. We are packing our bags and taking our rightful place in the Final Four."