Mason/UConn block or charge?

[ChuckElias]

With 0.8 seconds left, a George Mason player drove the lane and put up a shot. There was contact and a blocking foul was called against UConn. Correct call?

[rainmaker]

I don't know Chuck. Looked like a charge from my livingroom, but I'm a long way away -- several thousand miles, and probably 6 or eight levels of play. Still the replay looked like it could go either way. Is this one of those "I wouldn't call that a charge at this point in the game!" thiings?

And how do I vote?

[26 Year Gap]

I thought the leg bowed out ever so slightly.

[Texas Aggie]

Originally Posted by ChuckElias

With 0.8 seconds left, a George Mason player drove the lane and put up a shot. There was contact and a blocking foul was called against UConn. Correct call?

It was a charge.

[PS2Man]

From my angle that the defender bellied up the ball handler the ball entered the lane. The problem is the best angle was from behind the defender. I say block at this time.

[Kostja]

Is there a video somewhere on the net?

[PGCougar]

At the arena it looked like a charge. They showed the replay on the big screen albeit only once and at game speed. I tried to follow by watching the D like you all suggest and it still looked like a charge, but I'll disqualify myself as since I'm a UConn alum. I'd love to see another replay if one is available somehwere.

[Nevadaref]

It was clearly a PC.
Nelson, the UConn defender, definitely got to the spot with both feet on the floor and facing his opponent, Mason's Campbell, before the shooter's back foot left the floor.
After reaching this position all the defender did was straighten up because his knees were bent quite a bit. He is certainly allowed to move within his vertical plane.
His hands were up and out and the contact was in the upper chest.

Scott Thornley missed this one and it cost UConn three points.

PS This is about as objective as it gets since as a Georgetown guy, I can't stand UConn.

[ShadowStripes]

I was 15 rows up right behind the basket and thought the block was the correct call. C (Steed I believe) and L (Thornley) had a double whistle and neither one made a preliminary signal. However, they both were yelling block and Thornley took the call and scored the basket. I thought Nelson slid over from the opposite lane line on the drive and had not established legal position before the shooter went up. Good call from my vantage point.

[JLMatthew]

When I was watching in real time I said block immediately when the whistles blew...Upon replay, I thought it was a great call. IMO the defender never had LGP coming down the floor and was still moving over slightly when the shooter left the floor.

I thought it was great crew communication as well. If the C would've had a charge...it could've easily been a blarge. I know I might have got caught up in the circumstance and started selling my call without checking with my partner first. Great call...Great crew cohesion as well. Peace.

[ChuckElias]

Funny how people on both sides can both be so positive about the call. Personally, when I was watching from home, I yelled "offense" at the TV. I think the replay shows that the defender had two feet down before the shooter left the floor. He took the contact in the torso, while leaning back to absorb the impact. He was not moving laterally or forward at the time of contact. The "bowed knee" is irrelevant, IMHO, b/c the contact was not with the knee; it was on the torso.

Like I said, it's pretty funny that I'm so sure it was PC, and others are so sure it was a block. That one might show up on the block/charge section of the NCAA video.

[ShadowStripes]

Originally Posted by ChuckElias

Funny how people on both sides can both be so positive about the call. Personally, when I was watching from home, I yelled "offense" at the TV. I think the replay shows that the defender had two feet down before the shooter left the floor. He took the contact in the torso, while leaning back to absorb the impact. He was not moving laterally or forward at the time of contact. The "bowed knee" is irrelevant, IMHO, b/c the contact was not with the knee; it was on the torso.

Like I said, it's pretty funny that I'm so sure it was PC, and others are so sure it was a block. That one might show up on the block/charge section of the NCAA video.

Credit the crew. It was close enough to a 50-50 call, and it was in an area where the dreaded blarge could've occurred. Both officials held off on the preliminary and were able to sell it and get out of there.

[wilko]

Hi First off, Im not a referee or official just a fan who wants to learn and have a better understanding of why things are the way they are currently in College basketball.

Before the Uconn /GM game.. I was watching some of the tribute to Pistol Pete on CBS. Pistol was a shade before my time so All I had go on was very vague memories and the highlights that were carefully selected from various points in his career.

What jumped out at me was the "lack" of defense... at least by todays standards. I found it hard to believe that things had changed sooo much between watching that and the the GM amd Fla games. Did I fall prey to select clips? Were defenses really that bad? or were the game rules just interpreted differently then.

I cant help but feel that if we had a player of his caliber today we might miss it, because the current style of play would pummel him unmercifully.

It sure seems that baskeball has been devalued as a skill and that an over emphasis is being placed on athleticism and with that increased contact. Being physical is indeed the great equalizer in making a good team play bad.

Am I off base? why is this and is being done if anything to counterbalance and make basketball about skill?

Personally, to quote Seinfeld "I'm rooting for the laundry" Im gonna watch my team regaredless... I wouldnt care if the field of 64 all ran the Prinecton Offense, Im still gonna watch.

Am I wrong? Im really disappointed in the way the game has gone lately.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by wilko

What jumped out at me was the "lack" of defense... at least by todays standards. I found it hard to believe that things had changed sooo much between watching that and the the GM and Fla games. Did I fall prey to select clips? Were defenses really that bad? or were the game rules just interpreted differently then.

The game was called completely differently back then, as you thought. The defenses weren't bad at all by the standards of the time; defenders just knew and adjusted to the amount of contact that was allowed by officials back then- which was much, much less. Defenders played D more with their feet and hands than with their bodies. The contact allowed on dribblers, shooters and during rebounds was certainly a heckuva lot less than today's game.

I don't particularly like the amount of contact allowed in today's game either, but it is what it is. For the ballplayer's sake, you want the games called as uniformly as possible so that they know what to expect. And if the majority of NCAA officials are calling it one way and allowing the contact, then all NCAA officials should try to do the same imo- whether I like it or not. Ballplayers today are just doing the same as they used to be; they will adjust to the contact that the officials allow them.

The unfortunate part to me is that the contact allowable certainly has crept into high school nowadays too.